At a Glance
A music-conservatory-style public high school where auditions — not zip codes — shape the class
Best suited for
Musically committed students (and their families) willing to prepare for a competitive audition and travel for the right fit — particularly those seeking a tight community with clear expectations over a traditional neighborhood comprehensive.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of 4-year graduation, English Regents college-ready and Regents completion · DOE 2025 report
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Audition-based admissions create a self-selected, musically committed student body
- Zero suspensions last year — exceptionally rare for a high school of this size
- Unusually deep music program with chamber ensembles, gospel and men's choirs, rock/Latin bands, and Disney performance partnerships
- Free Summer Music Camp and Summer Bridge programs extend training beyond the school year
- AP courses plus ELL support show academic rigor isn't sacrificed for the arts focus
Things to consider
- Auditions are competitive — offer rates run 16.7% for Concert Band/Jazz Band/Piano and 20% for Vocal Music/Chorus
- Music is central to the school's identity; families wanting a traditional comprehensive high school should look elsewhere
- Travel from outside the neighborhood is the norm given the audition process
- Performance demands, recitals, and competitions are baked into the culture — this isn't a school that lets practice slide to the margins
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 10
District 10 spans everything from very high program-rich schools to resource-constrained neighborhood campuses; Celia Cruz sits near the top of the program-rich category alongside P.S. 024 Spuyten Duyvil (92/100) and P.S. 081 Robert J. Christen (88/100). Its combination of family trust scores above 95%, zero suspensions, and 100% teacher instruction quality is uncommon in the district — and unique for a high school of its size.
Academics
The academic program is broad for a themed school: AP courses, ELL support, STEM pathways, and world languages sit alongside an unusually deep music curriculum that includes chamber music, gospel and men's choirs, rock/Latin bands, musical theater, and a free summer music camp. With 427 students across grades 9–12 plus a self-contained special education cluster, the average class size of 22.9 matches the District 10 average. The 90/100 program richness score places it among the strongest curricula in its peer set, anchored by a 100% teacher-reported instruction quality rating.
Culture
Zero suspensions in a school this size is exceptional — the District 10 average is roughly 0.28% — and pairs with the highest trust scores in the dataset. Every teacher who responded rated instruction quality highly (100%, well above the 91% district average), 98% of parents trust the principal, and 95% trust their child's teacher. The day-to-day feel leans more toward rehearsal hall than classroom hallway: frequent performances, recitals, and competitions create a tight, accountable community where students are chosen for the work ethic the audition process implies.
Community
The student body is 62% Hispanic and 30% Black, with a diversity index of 50% meaning the school draws largely from two of the Bronx's dominant demographic groups rather than the full NYC mosaic. The Economic Need Index of 76 indicates roughly three-quarters of students qualify as high-need based on family circumstance. Because admissions are audition-based, this population isn't a mirror of the immediate neighborhood — families travel here from across the borough.
Neighborhood
Bedford Park is a working-class neighborhood where median household income sits around $44,438 and roughly a quarter of residents live below the poverty line. Just 7% of households own their homes, and only 17.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, so families here lean heavily on the subway rather than driveways. Fourteen percent of households include children, giving the blocks a steady family presence.
Kingsbridge Rd (4) is about a 2-minute walk, Kingsbridge Rd (B D) about 5 minutes, and Fordham Rd (4) about 10 minutes — three subway options that make car-free commutes easy from anywhere in the Bronx.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 141 families responded (35% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
Small group instruction on band instruments. Participation in three concert bands and jazz band; Latin band, music theory, music history, sight singing, and piano. Preparation for state competitions. Evaluations in solo and ensemble work.
Students study fundamentals as well as perform in concert choir. Advanced level choirs include: Stage Choir, Girls Chamber Choir, Mixed Choir, Men's and Women's Choir. All choirs incorporate music theory, music history, sight singing, and piano. Preparation for state competitions as well as auditions. Evaluations in solo and ensemble work.
Small group instruction on orchestral instruments. Participation in three string orchestras and full orchestra. Electives in music theory, music history, sight singing, and piano. Preparation for state competitions. Evaluations in solo and ensemble work.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
High school (9th grade)
High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The admits through 3 programs, and each one has its own admissions method:
- ChorusAuditionVirtual or in personAudition required60 seats
- Concert Band/PianoAuditionVirtual or in personAudition required55 seats
- StringsAuditionVirtual or in personAudition required15 seats
High school application
- Opened
- Tue, Oct 6
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 4
- Offers
- Wed, Mar 3
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
- 2Audition programs need a booked audition or portfolio on top of the application — book the slot through MySchools, and prepare what each studio asks for.
- 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The a good school?
- On Motley, Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The earns an overall rating of 74/100 — the average of the school's four-year graduation rate, the share of its students scoring college-ready (70+) on the English Regents, and its Regents completion rate, shown out of 100.
- What grades does Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The serve?
- Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The?
- Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The admits by audition — applicants are judged on a performance, portfolio, or talent area.
- Is Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The public, charter, or private?
- Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The is a public school in NYC Community School District 10.
- What neighborhood is Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The in?
- Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music, The is in Bedford Park, Bronx.