Now in its seventeenth year of programming, Manhattan New Music Project is a performing arts organization that is recognized worldwide for artistic excellence in jazz and contemporary music. Begun in 1990 by a group of like-minded composers with the aim of fostering the creation and presentation of new musical works, MNMP has sought to cross traditional musical boundaries and catalyze imaginative projects and collaborations involving the creation of new work through performances, recordings, educational and collaborative activities. With a talented core of highly respected musician composers, MNMP has presented music by dozens of composers from around the U.S. and abroad through its New York City-based concert series.  This has included venues such as Carnegie Hall, Knitting Factory, Sweet Basil, The Fez, and the Anne Goodman Recital Hall.  MNMP has todate released two critically acclaimed CDs of works written by it's artistic associates, Mood Swing and The Soul of Grace (both released on Soul Note Records) and is currently seeking the release for two more CDs of works that our late founder, Paul Nash completed and recorded in the last year of his life (Avant Noir and Jazz Cycles).

MNMP has since 1993 also pursued an educational mission by creating hands-on arts education programs in New York City’s public schools with the objective to incorporate musical composition and artistic creativity, improvisation, and performance as an everyday aspect of classroom learning to empower children to become artistic creators. Programs focus on student-created work across all arts disciplines, including music, drama, dance, visual art, and creative writing. In addition to in-class residencies, after school programs and summer camp workshops, MNMP provides professional development opportunities for arts and classroom-subject teachers. MNMP has also worked extensively with special-needs students and their teachers. Through this dual mission, MNMP engages both young and adult audiences in music programs throughout New York City.

In 2000, MNMP entered into contracts for arts education and professional development with the NYC Department of Education, to provide programming in schools for K-12 students in every borough and to create experiences for children with special education needs (enrolled in District 75). These programs have ranged from long-term artist residencies and after-school workshops to one-day professional development sessions and summer programs, and have  provided underserved children and teachers the opportunity to experience music composition, improvisation and performance firsthand. In 2002, 2005 and 2006, MNMP won prestigious grants from the USDOE for its Creative Music Educators Project, Creative and Integrative Arts Educators program and Setting the Stage for Success.