Longy started in 1915, when Georges Longy, principal oboist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, opened a school in Boston. Today it's a small conservatory near Harvard Square in Cambridge and has been part of Bard College since 2012. It focuses on graduate performance training. Students are expected to play in the community as well as the concert hall.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Official website: longy.edu
1915
Part of Bard College since 2012
Near Harvard Square, Cambridge
Private music conservatory
$45,000 – $55,000
International students, graduate programmes
$22,000 – $28,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on longy.edu before you apply.
Master of Music in Performance
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
TOEFL: 80
Graduate Performance Diploma
DiplomaDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
TOEFL: 60
Artist Diploma
DiplomaDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
TOEFL: 60
Master of Music in Composition
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
TOEFL: 80
Small graduate classes with lots of one-to-one teaching.
Performance work in schools and community venues.
Harvard Square and Boston's concert halls on the doorstep.
Graduates perform, teach privately and build freelance careers around Boston and beyond.
Some join orchestras, chamber ensembles or doctoral programmes.
Music teaching and community arts roles are common routes.
Undergrad
Limited
Postgrad
Main intake
The school is on Garden Street, a few minutes from Harvard Square and the Red Line. Cambridge Common is across the road.
Boston has Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall and many churches with regular concerts. Rents in Cambridge are high, so many students share flats in Somerville or Allston.
Form I-20 issued by the institution
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
Applications for fall usually close in December, followed by auditions in winter. Some instruments accept late applications if places remain.
Students start in the fall semester.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Longy School of Music of Bard College after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
The Master of Music in performance is the main programme, along with the Graduate Performance Diploma and Artist Diploma. Entry depends mostly on your audition, plus a bachelor's degree for the master's and a TOEFL score.
Longy awards merit scholarships based on the audition, and international students are considered. Ask admissions about current awards.
