Advanced Studies in Music Theory Informed Discourse for the Musical Mind

W a y n e A l p e r n F o u n d e r a n d D i r e c t o r

D E L I B E R A T E with coolness,
A N A L Y Z E with criticism,
R E F L E C T with candor,
E V A L U A T E with conviction.†

THE MANNES INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN MUSIC THEORY is an exclusive musical think tank dedicated to communal exploration at the highest level of inquiry. We offer distinguished professional music scholars from around the world a unique opportunity to gather together in an intensive collegial setting outside of the conventional conference format to teach, challenge, and learn from each other in a sustained and interactive way. Independently supported by private benefactors since 2001, The Mannes Institute has achieved international recognition as a preeminent vehicle for synergy and collaboration in the domain of music scholarship.

The larger the group, the narrower the conversation. So notes Joseph Addison in the Spectator back in 1711. The depth of discourse is inversely related to the number of participants. When a multitude gathers, the discussion usually floats on the surface, at the level of platitudes and formalities. Only in smaller groups, and ultimately in dialogue, does it descend into particularities and grow freely communicative. This is what Addison calls “the fruits of friendship.”

The Mannes Institute implements Addison's credo: we assemble a formidable scholarly team, yet retain the intimacy required for interpersonal exchange. This is a safe haven where we drop our postures and pretenses, and become students once again. We explore ideas in a noncompetitive and nonhierarchical manner. We nurture relationships in a collegial way. We teach and learn from each another. The air bristles with the give and take of the Platonic symposium and the interrogating spirit of da Vinci's Vitruvian Man.

Welcome to an egalitarian clearinghouse for ideas and inquiries, to this catalyst for musical contemplation, yoking you and your peers together as a cadre of thinkers at the highest level of inquiry, gathering the fruits of friendship through a genuine meeting of the minds.

A comprehensive series of participatory workshops, plenary sessions, and roundtable discussions with an emphasis on dialogue and debate focuses on a different topic each year under the guidance of a rotating faculty of expert peers and special guests drawn from the musical profession. Institute sites alternate between our home base at Mannes College of Music in New York City and other prestigious academic institutions across North America. Diligent preparation and an authentic commitment to actively participate and contribute to a dynamic process of collective interrogation are essential. We invite you to join other outstanding music theorists, historical musicologists, and ethnomusicologists from around the globe to share in this challenging and transformative experience in collaborative learning.

† During the public debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, a series of controversial articles appeared in the New York Journal under the pseudonym “Cato.” Americans knew the name both from Plutarch’s biography of the Roman defender of freedom against the usurpations of Caesar, and Addison's popular 1713 play of the same name. Many historians think the author was New York Governor George Clinton, but there is no conclusive evidence. Against widespread support for ratification, the anonymous writer pleaded, "I only wish to excite you to, and assist you in, a cool and deliberate discussion of the subject, to think, speak, act, and assert your opinions." "The wisest and best of men may err" and "every man ought to think for himself." Cato implored his peers to question prevailing assumptions, and to “deliberate with coolness, analyze with criticism, and reflect with candor.” This challenge of independent thought and reasoned scepticism, supplemented by the caveat "Evaluate with Conviction" to form the acronym DARE, articulates the credo of The Mannes Institute. Our logo of da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is an iconic symbol of this essential spirit of rational inquiry.

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