What a wonderful place this is. My nephew is a music major and I came to buy some Christmas gifts for him. This place is a treasure trove! I bought some scores, some sheet music and music books for him. The staff were helpful and dug one book up for me that I couldn't find myself. Thank you! read more

Over the past year, it has become harder to find anything here beyond standard repertoire. I ordered a Delius piano solo that took eight weeks to arrive, and communication with the store was painfully intermittent with me having to follow up constantly. In the end, it would have been faster to order it myself online. More recently, I tried to exchange a gift I received, a biography (not a musical score), that I already owned. I simply wanted to exchange the biography, which was clearly unread, for a different one that was actually more expensive. I was happy to pay the difference. I even had the physical receipt. Both were full-price books, not discounted items. The exchange was declined under their umbrella policy. I understand having a policy in place to protect publishers, but it would be clearer to simply state "All Sales Final on Printed Materials." Instead, the language references "copyrighted materials," which suggests there may be exceptions, when in practice there are not. I want to support a neighborhood brick and mortar music shop. But when selection is limited, flexibility is minimal, and communication is inconsistent, it becomes difficult to justify staying loyal. I am disappointed to say, that I will likely purchase my scores and books elsewhere going forward. At times, the store feels oriented more toward internal or institutional purchases than toward the musicians and readers who live in the neighborhood. read more

Great amount and variety of books in good editions. Some merchandise can be of higher quality though (seriously).

Great selections. Small store but with so much to offer. The only music store I found but Loved it!

All genres of music for many instruments..the only sheet music store I found in NYC. What happened to the others??

Came here after listening to free orchestra music. I wanted memorabilia of my short visit here. I was happy with the clothing selection and ended up with a hoodie and youth t-shirt. I wish they had toddler sizes though. Youth XS is probably around a 4T and my nephew is a 2T. A hoodie is $50. Youth shirt is $18. It's pretty pricey but what college merchandise isn't? Overall they have a good amount of hoodies, sweatpants, shirts, sheet music, stuffed animals for kids, and pens/pencils and other knickknack. read more

I don't know what makes the staff of the Juilliard Store so special that they can't be in contact with the public. After all, the only advantage of this place is that you can actually look at the music before buying it! As an essential worker who's had to travel on the subway for months before any vaccines were available, I'm really pissed off! read more

Another disappointing Sheet music store in NYC. I can't wait until the new location opens, because the old one was super-duper-cramped and staff members were always saying "excuse me, excuse me" to get by to their back office. They have a decent stock for their size. Often don't have standard things, but instead will have 4 copies of something unusual and hard to find. Today they didn't have scores to 2 standard Brahms chamber music works. And here's the transcript of my conversation today: Me: Hello, I'm looking for a mini-score to Brahms's First String Quartet, in c minor, Op. 51 #1 Her: Okay, let me check and see if we have it. [4 minutes] I don't see a listing here in the computer. Let me go look on the shelves and check. Me: Thank you Her: [4 minutes] Sir, I don't think I see it, but I see Brahms 1st Symphony, would that be it? Me: [Thinking: "no, that involves 80 more people than the piece I was looking for"] No, I was looking for a string quartet. [Thinking: "That would be like a waiter saying, 'I'm sorry, we're out of steak tartare, would you like a Caesar salad instead?' "] Her: Maybe you should try Patelson's? Me: [Thinking: "Argh, not Patelson's....!"] Thank you, I did, but they didn't have it either. At least she was friendly! They also affix these magnetic security strips inside the music, to prevent theft I'd imagine, which tear the paper when you try to remove them. Argh! I'm crossing my fingers for the new location and for more knowledgeable salespeople... Maybe more space will mean better stock? read more

Unprofessional service - so disappointing as want to support local businesses. In a most polite manner, attempted to return two pristine, unused scores, but was refused based on rather archaic return policies - 21 day limit and no printed material. It appeared the Manager's sole mission was to exercise his bit of Saturday afternoon power, because when pressed on the policies, he could not give a sensible reason for not accepting the returns, only saying that the music "might have been copied." Thus, one could conceivably purchase music, take it and copy it, and return it within the 21 day limit and receive a full refund. Hmm... In future will order direct from publishers. read more

Im sure any music major will feel like a kid in a candy store here! The shop may look small but its packed floor to ceiling with and incredibly vast sheet music collection with many very hard to find titles (even online) that are in perfect condition. They also have all of the urtext and alfred editions in perfection condition and are reasonably priced. The staff I met were extremely helpful and knowledgable and were able to make several recommendations for cool pieces I've never heard before! Literally spent 2 hours here and felt like 2 minutes; a very enjoyable experience! read more

We all know that websites like amazon provide more of a discount for music scores, books, text books and the like. With that being said, this place is essential for those of us who want to journey back to the era of Colony and Patelson's and browse through scores unhurried and luxuriate in the moment. You can't get that online. You take a chance with your purchase and hope it gets to you on time and doesn't get lost or that the used copy isn't completely falling apart. I've enjoyed coming here since I was a teen at pre college and continue to love it now. Side note: they have cool music pens and pencils. read more

A few months ago, when Colony was closing. Many people began to sob and complain about their loss of a "great music store." I found myself thinking "You have been paying for overpriced music and a limited selection, when there was a much better store a couple blocks away. I've been frequently this place since high school. I almost want to call it a secret gem, because a lot of my fellow musicians have never been. (How you got this far in life without going, I don't know) The selection is huge, and decently priced. It was always ten times cheaper than Colony and 8/10 times cheaper than order online. Even as a violist, the selection is pretty big. They have beginner books to college level pieces. And they're often sales and clearances on other nifty stuff. I will continue to satisfy all my musical needs here. Some what from nostalgia, but mostly due to the great selection. The employees are pretty laid back. I've never had a pretentious cashier. They're pleasant, sometimes a bit slow. But nothing too offensive. read more

First off, I'll echo others and say ignore any reviews before 2010 - the store has been completely renovated (in physical location/appearance, staff, and inventory), and anything you see before that is misleading and not reflective of the current store. Anyway, on to the review... Staff: I actually think the staff are excellent - yes, they are young, but they are very polite and helpful, and even if they're not sure what piece of music you're asking for, they'll try to look it up or ask someone in the back office for more information. I've also dealt with a few different people from the back office, and they've all been very helpful and knowledgeable, particularly about sheet music. While I don't think anyone at the store has an encyclopedic knowledge of sheet music, they seem to have the right resources at their disposal to answer your questions. Store: There is a fair amount of Juilliard logo-emblazoned merchandise, but I honestly don't think it detracts from the quality of the store. It's a college bookstore in addition to being a sheet music shop, so I don't really take offense to this. The layout is great, and although the drawers of sheet music are a bit of a drag, I think it's better than the old store with it's incredibly over-stuffed shelves (which would damage the music). Pretty easy to find things. Inventory: This seems to be getting better and better - they have less junk and more stuff that I'm actually looking for. Also, this is the only place I know that sells the Nico Castel libretti, which is awesome. I haven't really browsed the recordings much, so I don't know much of what's there, but it does seem to be a drastically reduced inventory from the old store. The books selection is good, too, and the prices seem pretty fair on everything. Overall, I'm glad the Juilliard Store took the direction it did - sometimes I miss the old curmudgeony-NYer-feeling of the old store (it had its charms), but I'm glad at least that the new store seems to be doing things right. read more

I've shopped here a few times to buy books for my classes. As with many other stores in Manhattan, this store crams as much product in its small space as possible. There is a large selection of music and text and I have yet to not find what I was looking for. It's also a great place to just browse if you're OK with being asked to get out of the way every few minutes as other customers do the same. Everything there is full priced as is the case with on-campus book stores, but I think it's worth the premium to actually see the contents before buying. It also has a good section of Juilliard merchandise that you can't find elsewhere such as shirts, water bottles, gifts, etc... The employees are helpful enough though some of them act like they'd rather be doing something other than working retail. However, I've experienced some pretty pretentious customers who make the little shop a bit stuffy. Bottom line, shop here to get some Juilliard experience and merchandise, but if you know exactly what you need (music/text wise) and can wait, online will be cheaper. read more

They have everything here. Orchestral Scores, Chamber Music, Solos, Vocal Music, etc. Prices are reasonable and they also have some really rare pieces of music you wouldn't find anywhere else. read more

The Juilliard Store - Bookstores Near Me - New York, New York

So the renovation is FINALLY complete. After years of tripping and climbing over people in the old store, then a couple more years in a modular trailer with half the inventory, 'Jailyard' Bookstore has reopened a block north on 66th Street, in a bright, stylish, glass enclosed boutique. There is still plenty of collegiate memorabilia to satisfy any maniacal stage parent, but of primary importance is the greatly expanded sheet music, book and audio/visual inventory, still the best in the city (even if nothing compares to Patelson's golden years, may he rest in peace). Sadly, the curmudgeons and schizophrenics who endeared this place have been replaced by fresh faced kids behind the counter. I'm told by insiders that while the former employees were very passionate and knowledgeable about their work, they weren't in line with the cosmetic face lift the store was getting, and were let go! Truly a shanda, in my opinion. Yes, you'll find holes in the stock, and even standard stuff may be hard to find, but unfortunately I think this says more about the current state of music publishing business. With all the great music media retail outlets going down like dominoes (Patelson, Carl Fisher, Tower, T.I.S.), and most business going online due to the lower overhead for a relatively small market size, the fact that one of the nation's premiere music schools can still keep a bricks and mortar store in business is quite admirable. If you need it NOW, Juilliard will most likely have it, and at a competitive retail price. read more

A boutique sized school store that had just what I needed, sheet music. Thank goodness for arts schools with music stores closing every year, that may be the only place to get certain thing beside the internet. read more

The renovation made this a very attractive store, but so much space is given over to T-shirts that it feels like a souvenir shop in Times Square. If you're looking for sheet music, you'll still find yourself slumped in one of those little stools, several inches from the floor, in a crowded aisle, trying to compare your options. (Feels just like the pre-renovation trailer.) But at least they *have* the sheet music, probably in several versions, at reasonable price points. So bonus points for existing. I have to agree with Brian H., in that the young staffers are just not that into the job. They're nice enough, but not going to go out of their way to give you a hand. read more

Their renovation seems to have been completed. The store is spacious. The books are displayed in their own section far away from the sweatshirt and other tchotchkes. I showed up on a late Saturday afternoon and was able to quickly find the scores I needed, pay, and leave within 15 minutes. The book collection was good. For major composers, they carry both Henle and Wiener urtext as well as the ubiquitous Schirmer, plus the occasional Dover etc. And there was a special display of Paderewski editions of Chopin. The staff was friendly and helpful. I am looking forward to the opening of their online store (scheduled for Fall 2010) so that I don't have to trek to NYC to haul back a library. read more

I'm not the musician in the family, my wife is, but I've gone with to look for sheet music here. First, disregard any of the old reviews that say that the place is cramped, the new location is complete and open (with extended hours at this time, not sure if it will be permanent). The staff was helpful and addressed our questions satisfactorily. We were looking for flute music and while it was very promising at first, that excitement was soon calmed. Yes, there's a good number of different pieces, but they seemed to be bimodal -- not advanced enough or huge tomes. I'm not saying it's a horrible place, there's a good selection of music here, just not what we were looking for, so it looks like this won't be enough to be a new go-to store for sheet music. read more

This store was recently renovated and it was a great success!! SO MUCH EASIER to navigate and things are displayed nicely. I don't think I have ever gone there looking for something and not found what I needed. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. I've never had to wait in line too long (1 or 2 customers before me, never more than that). The only strange thing is that they store holds live events/performances, and it seems as though this was not planned when the renovation happened. Twice now, I've entered the store in the middle of a performance, and because the door is in the center of the room, you can't help but walk right into the middle of the audience. People don't seem to mind too much, but it's no fun getting an angry look from some crank who thinks you shouldn't be shopping in the Juilliard STORE!!! Great place to find books with LITERAL translations for opera. I. read more

Love this store, best place to find sheet music. They also have a good selection of CD's and DVDs. My son loves the sheet music section, he's serious about the Piano. The atmosphere is lay back with numerous music lovers and Musicians glancing through these gems. Nothing is better than a brick and mortar store. Sure you can find it cheaper on the internet but we need more stores like this one. read more

Like the previous reviews mentioned, the store is like a cramped oven (though outside temp was low 50's)! Do NOT come here unless you know the exact piece of music you are looking for and can be in and out in less than five minutes. read more

Took me some time to find it, but when I did it was well worth it. Every classical music fan kind of place to hang out. You can literally find every music score that you need. I was looking for some transcription of Liszt and thanks to the extremely helpful and friendly staff I was able to find exactly what I needed and ended up paying 15$ just for that particular piece instead of almost 80$ for the entire Liszt transcriptions. Could've spend there hours and hours more. They also have a great selection of CD's - all classical of course. read more

A classical pianist's dream......I love this store. PRactically lived there for a year lol. No complaints....not a one.

Don't let the T-shirts in the window fool you. The Juilliard Store has the best selection of music scores in New York. They also have a wide range of CDs and DVDs. The staff is friendly and always helpful, whether you encounter them on the phone or in person. Now if they'd just go back to carrying the International Music Review, I could meet all my musical needs under one roof! read more

Do they make their own hours? Every time I go by, they're closed. Google says open until 7. The door says 6, show up at 5:45 to buy a score, it's closed. Sort it out, guys. I know working sucks, but some of us would like to actually give you money. read more

They've cut back on their CD stock, but it's still the best selection of new classical CDs in New York City (and perhaps on the whole East Coast, for all I know). I was in casually browsing this week, and ended up buying three releases I didn't even know were available: A Mahler 5th conducted by Hans Rosbaud from 1951 (worth its weight in platinum), a collection of chamber music by Imogen Holst (whose work as a composer I was, previously, completely unfamiliar with), and a new recording of the Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 9 by Sir Andrew Davis that is an absolute revelation. You can't ask for much more than three listening experiences like that in a week from one retailer -- and I haven't even mentioned the new biography of Arturo Toscanini that they have for sale! read more

I was SHOCKED that the most prestigious music school had a DUMP of a store! It was awfully HOT. The employees were trying to keep a smile while sweating. I mentioned the abnormally hot temps and they agreed. They said the store is controlled by a person in KANSAS! Must be TOTO because no human would let other HUMANS suffer like that. They said it also happens in the winter!! Come on folks! Put some $$$ into your store. It needs to be expanded and updated! The school is also lacking appeal. It's just a name. That's it! read more

When we bought the sheet music for practice. The sales person told us that was what we should use. We asked about the return policy and was told returnable within 14 days. The books turned out to be the wrong and the store wouldn't do refund or exchange. They insisted that on the receipt it says no refund or exchange for sheet music. So I was supposed to buy the book then read the terms on the receipt and found out that they are not refundable? The salesperson'so answer was not to be relied upon! How oxymoron!!! Will never buy anything from this store again but order from Internet. read more

This place reminds me that I need to finish watching the Leonard Bernstein Harvard Lectures.

Quaint little store accessed through the hind end of the Julliard music building. It is rare to find such a small, but fully packed store anywhere in NYC anymore. The store sells music themed trinkets as wells music CDs and scores. Some of the younger sales staff get a little loud and overly enthusiastic as they tout their knowledge of music. Otherwise a nice little find. read more