The New Music Department was founded in 2003, aiming to create a home for musicians seeking new content and ways in which to learn and develop, but who could not find them in the existing music programs.
Hundreds of students have passed through the gates of the department since, becoming the landmark of a diversified, rich, and original musical community – including composers, sound artists, sound technicians, musical curators, programmers, lecturers, instrument builders and stage professionals.
The unique program combines traditional musical studies – theory, rhythm, and harmony – with contemporary topics such as synthesis of the sound (analogical, digital), contemporary composition, musical production, and studio engineering. In addition, the department offers unique courses such as acoustic instrument building, electric creativity (synthesizer building), and algorithm composition. Alongside the practical courses, the department also offers theoretical courses dealing with the intersection of music, art, society, and technology, providing for students a historical and social context in the world of musical and artistic creation.
Three ensembles of different styles exist in the department: the school choir – which explores voice as the source of sound, as raw material and as a tool, by working on singing techniques, adaptation and performance; a modern ensemble – focusing on original and existing works in combination with examining various untraditional notation methods; and an electro-acoustic ensemble – focusing on writing and performance techniques based on graphic notation, improvisation and listening.
In the department operates an independent radio station, radiomusrara.com, as well as the newsletter Rashamkol for contemporary music in Jerusalem.
These studies are intended for anyone who wishes to develop as an artist and professional in the field of contemporary music and enrich their musical knowledge, or for those interested in expanding their capabilities to practical fields, which are both novel and traditional. No prior knowledge is required; however, applicants with musical experience, either creative or technical, will be prioritized.