NEC makes an active effort to foster new audiences among the local community. The school's 600 concerts per year are promoted in city papers, and with radio ads, and that is in addition to the school's mailing list of about 8000. Needless to say, concerts are well attended. On most nights throughout the school session there are at least three concerts taking place among the NEC's four halls, which includes Jordan Hall . Jordan Hall has a capacity of about 1100 and is acoustically one of the best in Boston.
Most concerts are free.
NEC is also involved in a number of community projects with Boston public schools, the Boston Latin Academy and suburban public schools. NEC has preparatory musical education for children, and continuing educating for interested adults, which includes classes that aid in the appreciation of a current concert series. The children take music classes every day. They create their own instruments, sing, take Suzuki lessons, and are even members in a pseudo-gamelan ensemble. This program, like NEC itself, is truly a shining example for musical education in the United States.