Berklee Popular Music Institute Launches BPMI Live Docuseries

The Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) and Bottle Tree Pictures have launched the docuseries BPMI Live on Berklee’s YouTube channel. Taking place during the 2023–2024 festival season, the series follows an extraordinary group of students enrolled in the BPMI Live course as they learn how to manage real artists at the world’s most popular music festivals, preparing them for the biggest performances of their careers. 

Throughout the academic year, BPMI Live students review hundreds of artist submissions and narrow the field through a combination of factors that include recordings, videos, live performances, and social media presence. The A&R group also considers the artist’s style of music for genre-specific festivals such as Inkcarceration (metal) and Faster Horses (country). The BPMI Live series follows eight acts from the 2023 festival season and Kieran Rhodes, who performed at Boston Calling in May 2024 through the institute.

“Working with Bottle Tree Pictures to conceptualize this idea, film over a year’s worth of festival and classroom coverage, and put everything together as a series has been a dream come true,” said Morgan Milardo, managing and artistic director for BPMI. “Our students work hard to select the right acts for the right moment in their careers, leading them to an incredible moment on stage at a major festival. Seeing their preparation and hard work on camera in this series is a tremendous point of pride for myself and Berklee.”

The series, now available on Berklee’s YouTube channel, consists of eight episodes. 

“When we first heard about the Berklee Popular Music Institute, we were struck by its singularity among college course offerings for students interested in the world of festivals and touring,” said Enman, director at Bottle Tree Pictures. “Our team was specifically struck by the experiential learning aspects of the program. Seeing students tasked with solving real-world problems at major music festivals frequently had our team wishing we’d had these kinds of opportunities back when we were students. Following this course and working with BPMI has been inspiring, unique, and so illuminating in regards to what can be possible when students are given meaningful exposure to the industry they want to build their careers in. The students, artists, and team with BPMI made this an experience we’ll never forget—one we are so glad to have on camera for all to see.”