American School of Modern Music

What American School of Modern Music does

The American School of Modern Music (ASMM), legally NASMM New American School of Modern Music, is a French non-profit association (Association déclarée, SIREN 822 290 904) founded in 1982 and headquartered at 117 rue de la Croix-Nivert in Paris's 15th arrondissement. The institution delivers contemporary music education modeled on American university pedagogy, particularly Berklee College of Music, and trains instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, and music-for-visual-media professionals through a three-year professional curriculum plus a one-year preparatory class. It also serves amateurs, hobbyists, semi-professionals, and youth (ages 14-17) via evening/weekend out-of-cycle courses, ensemble workshops, and intensive summer programs in Paris (Les Frigos) and Cherbourg, Normandy. The school holds stacked French state credentials (Qualiopi since 2021, AMMA in RNCP since 2021, IOMA in Répertoire Spécifique since 2020, Datadock), is a member of FNEIJMA, and is part of the La French Touch collective alongside Pathé, Deezer, and Ubisoft.

The school's offering centers on a tuition-based B2C model. Professional program fees are €4,190 for the preparatory year and €4,280 for each subsequent year, amateur workshops run €900-€1,200 per year, and summer workshops run €490-€590. Funding sources include CPF, Pôle Emploi, AFDAS, FIFPL, Transitions Pro, and regional subsidies, with a €150 administrative registration fee per professional student. Ancillary revenue streams include ticketed concerts and masterclasses at venues such as New Morning and Sunset Sunside, plus merchandise sold via Spreadshop. The technology stack is intentionally low-tech: a website (asmm.fr), YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and an email newsletter; the platform has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, API, or proprietary software. GTM is multi-modal, combining audition-based admissions for the professional track, open enrollment for amateurs and summer workshops, a heavy event-led calendar (ASMM Festival, open houses, masterclasses with artists such as Jacob Collier, Biréli Lagrène, and Jonathan Kreisberg), and community-led referrals via a notable alumni roster that includes Alexandre Astier, Lionel Loueke, Cyrille Aimée, Anne Paceo, and Stephane Wrembel.

Leadership is family-linked: Jacques Estace is President of the association, Guillaume Estace (Berklee Summa Cum Laude, 2009) is CEO/General Manager, and Thomas Billon is Administrative and Financial Director. The organization operates with approximately 15 employees, no parent company, no external funding rounds, and no M&A history. Recent strategic emphasis has shifted toward ecosystem positioning (La French Touch, Music Tech France) and career-services extensions for emerging artists, suggesting a deliberate move from pure pedagogy into broader music-industry professionalization.

Name

American School of Modern Music

Legal name

NASMM New American School of Modern Music

Website

https://asmm.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American School of Modern Music (ASMM) is a 1982-founded, Paris-based non-profit music education institution that delivers a Berklee-inspired three-year professional curriculum, amateur courses, and summer workshops to professional musicians, hobbyists, and youth, monetized via tuition (€900-€4,280), funded certifications (Qualiopi, AMMA, IOMA), and ticketed masterclasses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Program Tuition: Annual tuition fees for professional music education programs including preparatory year (€4,190), first year (€4,280), and subsequent years. Administrative registration fee of €150 per student.
2. Amateur/Workshop Programs: Workshop and ensemble programs for amateur musicians including Jazz vocal (€900), group guitar lessons, group piano lessons, wind instruments, bass/drums, ear-training/harmony, and Film Scoring courses.
3. Summer/Workshop Camps: Intensive summer programs in multi-instruments, guitar sessions, and youth workshops held in Paris (Les Frigos) and Cherbourg (Normandy), with separate pricing.
4. Concert and Masterclass Events: Revenue from concert tickets (e.g., Biréli Lagrène concert at New Morning) and potentially masterclass registrations.
5. Online Shop: Merchandise sales through Spreadshop platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ASMM is a Paris-based music school that delivers multi-year professional music curricula, preparatory classes, and out-of-cycle amateur/semi-professional lessons in contemporary styles (jazz, gospel, funk, R&B, soul, rock, hip-hop, electronic, world music). It supplements core instruction with masterclasses, jam sessions, film scoring courses, summer workshops, and state-recognized certifications (AMMA, IOMA).

Product overview

American School of Modern Music is a music education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs centered around its three-year professional curriculum. The school provides a unified platform of music education with multiple delivery formats: a full-time professional program (Cursus Professionnel) with preparatory year, flexible out-of-cycle courses for amateurs and semi-professionals (evening and weekend classes), specialized masterclasses with internationally renowned artists, weekly jam sessions, film scoring instruction, and summer intensive workshops. The institution focuses on jazz, contemporary music, and modern music styles, preparing students for careers as professional musicians through a curriculum inspired by American university methodologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Curriculum (Cursus Professionnel) Three-year full-time professional music program inspired by American universities covering jazz, rock, pop, and contemporary music professions; includes instrument specialization, theory, harmony, ear training, ensemble playing, and prepares students for careers as instrumentalists, composers, arrangers, and performers. Tuition is €4,190 (preparatory year) and €4,280 (each subsequent year), with 300+ hours of classes per year.
• Preparatory Year (Classe Préparatoire) One-year preparatory program for students who do not yet meet first-year entry requirements, providing foundational skills before entering the professional curriculum. Tuition is €4,190 per year.
• Out-of-Cycle Courses (Cours Hors-Cycle) Evening and weekend music lessons for amateurs, hobbyists, and semi-professionals with flexible scheduling in vocals, guitar, piano, drums, bass, wind instruments, ear training, harmony, and film scoring. Annual subscriptions run at €900–€1,200 with 2h/week and 2 concerts/year included.
• Masterclasses Specialized intensive workshops led by internationally renowned artists including Jacob Collier, Biréli Lagrène, Jonathan Kreisberg, Aaron Parks, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Steve Coleman, and other Grammy-winning musicians. Over 100 masterclasses have been conducted.
• Film Scoring Course Professional course in music composition for visual media (video games, films, TV series) covering orchestration, composition techniques, and practical projects with original short films; aimed at second-year students and out-of-cycle learners.
• Summer Workshops (Stages d'été) Intensive multi-day summer programs in Paris (Les Frigos) and Cherbourg (Normandy) covering multi-instruments, guitar sessions, and youth workshops for musicians aged 14–17, with pricing of €490–€590 per session.
• AMMA Certification (Artiste Musicien des Musiques Actuelles) State-recognized professional certification for musicians in contemporary music, registered in the RNCP since September 15, 2021. Certifies technical and artistic competencies for writing, composition, stage performance, and mediation projects; fundable through CPF, OPCO, Pôle emploi, AFDAS, and Uniformation.
• IOMA Certification (Interpréter une œuvre de musiques actuelles) State-recognized certification for interpreting contemporary music works, registered in the Répertoire Spécifique since November 18, 2020. Certifies competencies for live performance, recording industry, and audiovisual sectors; fundable through CPF, OPCO, Pôle emploi, AFDAS, and Uniformation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three students received Full Scholarships at Berklee College of Music in 2024 - unprecedented for a French school
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• FNEIJMA (Fédération Nationale des Écoles d'influence Jazz et Musiques Actuelles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASMM is a member of FNEIJMA, the national federation of jazz and contemporary music schools. Through this membership, ASMM offers AMMA and IOMA certifications recognized by the French state.
• La French TouchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerASMM joined La French Touch in 2024, a collective of French creators in cinema, fashion, music, and video games. Members include Pathé, Deezer, Ubisoft, and other major French cultural brands.
• Music Tech FrancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership for Artist Services conferences and Music Tech events. Third edition in 2025, focusing on artist funding, career development, booking, and industry trends.
• Berklee College of MusicflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership with Berklee in Boston. ASMM prepares students for Berklee auditions; multiple students have received full scholarships ($250,000-$300,000 value).
• Conseil departmental de la MancheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Manche department for summer music camps in Cherbourg, providing intensive jazz and contemporary music programs.
• L'Autre Lieu – Espace René Le BasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for summer camps in Cherbourg, providing rehearsal studios and accommodation facilities for immersive music programs.
• Le BarbizonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert venue partner for student performances and festivals, including preparatory class ensembles and amateur concerts.
• Sunset SunsidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric Parisian jazz club partner for professional student ensembles and masterclass events including Aaron Parks and Jonathan Kreisberg masterclasses.
• New MorningcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIconic Parisian music venue hosting graduation concerts and special events including Biréli Lagrène concert and ASMM Festival closing night.
• Le BarbizoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue for Music Tech France conferences and artist services days, hosting industry professionals and ASMM students.
• Mon Compte Formation (CPF)coreOthersPersonal Training Account platform allowing eligible students to fund AMMA and IOMA certification programs through government-provided training credits.
• AFDASminorOthersFrench performing arts training fund providing funding for artists and cultural professionals to attend ASMM programs.
• Evans DrumheadsminorOthersDrum equipment partner providing equipment support for ASMM programs.
• La BaguetterieminorOthersMusic equipment retailer partner for ASMM.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BIMM University: BIMM is a UK-based performing-arts university specializing in contemporary music, songwriting, and production. It mirrors ASMM's contemporary-music pedagogy and professional-readiness orientation while operating at significantly larger scale across multiple cities.
• Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM): ACM is a UK contemporary music college focused on rock, pop, jazz, and music production. It shares ASMM's contemporary-music pedagogy and practitioner-led teaching model, targeting a similar cohort of aspiring professional musicians in a comparable price/credential tier.
• CMDL – Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood: CMDL is a leading Paris-area contemporary music school named for the late jazz violinist Didier Lockwood. It shares ASMM's focus on contemporary/jazz disciplines, French professional-qualification pathway, and Paris location, making it the closest direct competitor for francophone music students.
• Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP): CNSMDP is France's premier state-funded music and dance conservatory based in Paris. While more classical-tradition oriented, it competes with ASMM for top-tier French music students seeking recognized credentials and serves as an alternative institutional option in the same Paris ecosystem.
• Berklee College of Music: Berklee is the global gold standard in contemporary/jazz music education and ASMM's flagship academic partner. Both schools follow the same American pedagogy, focus on jazz/contemporary styles, prepare students for the modern music industry, and have a documented student-articulation and scholarship relationship (3 ASMM students received full Berklee scholarships in 2024).
• ICMP – Institute of Contemporary Music Performance: ICMP is a London-based contemporary music school offering programs in performance, songwriting, and music production. Like ASMM, it caters to aspiring professionals and hobbyists across contemporary styles, with practitioner faculty and Berklee-aligned curriculum cues.
• The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music: New York's New School offers a jazz and contemporary music program inspired by Berklee's model. It is highly comparable to ASMM in curriculum orientation (jazz, contemporary styles, practical performance) and target learner (aspiring professional contemporary musicians), serving as a US counterpart peer.

Broad incumbents

• Manhattan School of Music: MSM is a major US conservatory with a strong jazz and classical program and direct Berklee-adjacent network (Raphaël Pannier is an alumnus). It is comparable as a destination institution in the same Berklee scholarship ecosystem ASMM feeds into, rather than a direct competitor.
• Juilliard School: Juilliard is one of the world's most prestigious performing-arts conservatories, referenced in ASMM's data as a partner pathway. As a broad incumbent, it overlaps top-tier credentialing and elite-student recruitment but is significantly larger and more classical-leaning than ASMM.

Regional players

• Music Academy International (M.A.I.): M.A.I. is a French contemporary music school based in Nancy, with a comparable focus on jazz and modern styles. It is a domestic peer with similar size and pedagogical approach, but positioned in a different French region rather than competing in Paris.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AsmmParis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLhKwvFjBzMHOfjrFW0KCVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/asmm.fr
• Instagraminstagram.com/asmmofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/american-school-of-modern-music

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American School of Modern Music