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| Maine Academy of Modern Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maine Academy of Modern Music |
| Established | 2012 |
| Type | Independent high school |
| City | Portland |
| State | Maine |
| Country | United States |
| Campus | Urban |
Maine Academy of Modern Music is an independent secondary institution in Portland, Maine, focused on contemporary music performance, composition, and music technology. Founded in 2012, the school draws students from New England and beyond, combining rigorous arts training with college-preparatory academics. It collaborates with regional cultural organizations and touring artists to offer immersive experiences linking performance, recording, and career development.
The school was founded in 2012 during a period of expansion in specialized arts education alongside institutions such as Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Juilliard School, The Hartt School, and Royal Conservatory of Music. Early supporters included local entities like Portland Museum of Art, Maine State Music Theatre, Space Gallery (Portland, Maine), Maine Jazz Camp, and touring acts that performed at venues such as State Theatre (Portland, Maine), Portland Symphony Orchestra, Thalia Hall, and House of Blues. Founding faculty had connections to ensembles and organizations including Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Boston Pops Orchestra, Taj Mahal (musician), Ani DiFranco, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Wilco, helping the academy establish a program emphasizing contemporary practice, recording, and touring. The institution expanded its curriculum amid partnerships with Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Maine College of Art, Colby College, Bates College, and Bowdoin College, and it participated in regional festivals such as Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, North Atlantic Blues Festival, and CMJ Music Marathon.
The urban campus is located near Portland landmarks like Old Port (Portland, Maine), Commercial Street (Portland, Maine), Eastern Promenade, and Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum. Facilities include performance spaces modeled on venues such as The Yellow Barn, Tanglewood Music Center, Blue Note Jazz Club, and Ryman Auditorium, and rehearsal rooms equipped with technology from Avid Technology, Roland Corporation, Yamaha Corporation of America, and Shure Incorporated. Recording studios follow standards used by producers associated with Rick Rubin, Nigel Godrich, T Bone Burnett, and Steve Albini, and the school houses a faculty recital hall, a student-run label inspired by Sub Pop, Matador Records, and Merge Records, and an instrument repair shop with luthiers referencing techniques from Guitar Center, Steinway & Sons, and Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The building sits within the cultural corridor that includes Portland Observatory, Victoria Mansion, Merrill Auditorium, and Maine Historical Society.
Programming integrates performance and academic study with models from Berklee College of Music's contemporary curriculum, The Juilliard School's artist training, and community arts initiatives like Vermont Symphony Orchestra outreach and Carnegie Hall education programs. Degree-equivalent offerings cover contemporary composition, songwriting, music production, audio engineering, music business, and music technology, with masterclasses referencing pedagogues linked to Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Carlos Santana, Norah Jones, and Sting (musician). Course structures include ensemble labs inspired by Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz ensembles, studio production tracks echoing practices from Abbey Road Studios, and internship placements with organizations such as Nonesuch Records, Atlantic Records, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. Cross-disciplinary collaborations have involved institutions like Maine Film Center, Portland Stage Company, Bates Dance Festival, and media partners such as NPR and BBC Radio 3.
Admissions processes mirror audition-driven conservatory models used by Curtis Institute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and New England Conservatory, requiring performance auditions, portfolios, and interviews with faculty affiliated with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Students participate in touring ensembles, community outreach resembling El Sistema USA projects, and festival participation at events like Warped Tour, Sasquatch! Music Festival, CMJ Music Marathon, and regional showcases at Portland House of Music. Student life features collaborations with groups such as Portland Symphony Orchestra Education Program, volunteer initiatives aligned with Maine Red Cross, and extracurricular organizations patterned after national clubs like Music Teachers National Association and National Association for Music Education.
Faculty include performer-educators with backgrounds in bands and institutions such as The National (band), Phish, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, The Black Keys, R.E.M., Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Norah Jones, and John Mayer, and producers connected to labels like Sub Pop and Matador Records. Staff roles span academic administrators experienced in partnerships with Maine Department of Education, touring managers with credits on bills including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and technical personnel trained at studios like Electric Lady Studios and Sun Studio. Visiting artists and lecturers have included award winners such as recipients of the Grammy Award, Pulitzer Prize for Music, MacArthur Fellowship, Brit Award, and Tony Award.
Alumni have pursued careers as recording artists, producers, educators, and entrepreneurs, working with labels and organizations including Sub Pop, Merge Records, Concord Music Group, Blue Note Records, NPR Music, and BBC Music. Graduates have performed at venues and festivals like Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Glastonbury Festival, SXSW, Montreux Jazz Festival, and Roskilde Festival, and have secured roles in music production houses such as Abbey Road Studios and Electric Lady Studios. The academy's community impact is reflected in collaborations with local economic and cultural stakeholders such as Greater Portland Council of Governments, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, Maine Arts Commission, and philanthropic partners including The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and Rockefeller Foundation.
Category:Music schools in Maine