Kaufman Music Center

Named after Abraham Goodman, the building was designed by Ashok Bhavnani in the Brutalist style and received the Albert S. Bard Trust Award for excellence in architecture.

During the early 1980s, the HAS benefited from a large influx of Jewish émigrés leaving the Soviet Union and arriving in New York City.

Many music instructors were not allowed to take their credentials with them when they left, and having a difficult time finding equivalent positions in the United States, found a home at the Hebrew Arts School.

[2] Dr. Jochsberger retired in 1986 and was succeeded by Lydia Kontos until 2018, when Kate Sheeran took over as the Executive Director of Kaufman Music Center.

She said, “The Center is a unique organization, placing equal emphasis on education and performance, an essential balance for developing the artists and audiences of the future.”[2] Robert A.M. Stern Architects oversaw the 2007 renovation of the lobby and balcony levels, as well as a drastic overhaul to the exterior.