Preparing to Change the Game

In recent years, Berklee has created academic institutes to offer students focused studies in specific areas of the contemporary music universe. Currently, there are eight areas of focused study that include Berklee’s Global Jazz Institute, Interdisciplinary Arts Institute, and the Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship, to name a few. I am leading the charge to establish the Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMi) to focus on the business of popular music.

Our objective is to provide an experience-based education that will enable students to go from the classroom to the stage and gain professional experience through participation in the music business while building alliances that will benefit them today and tomorrow. BPMi students will interact with the music industry, working at the highest levels in A&R, artist development, recordings, booking, promotion, touring, social media, sponsoring, and tour bookings from clubs to festivals. The program will also teach students to give back by working with Berklee’s City Music Program partners as they tour the country.

BPMi’s structure will involve an external advisory board consisting of top-level executives from the entertainment, technology, and communication industries. These top industry figures are collaborating with us to design curricular activities that reflect contemporary trends and practices in the music industry. Selected Berklee faculty and staff will serve as internal advisers to mentor our students and artists.

BPMi will bring recognition to the college while teaching students how to communicate, teach, market, promote, and perform. The cornerstone of the curriculum will be opportunities for students to play at and participate in prestigious festivals in the United States and abroad. For the past four years, I have booked our student artists at the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. It’s daunting for young performers who have played only on a stage that is two to four-feet high and 10 to 20-feet wide to suddenly appear on a professional stage five to eight-feet high and 40 to 60-feet wide. To prepare them for larger venues, having a Berklee soundstage on which to practice will be key. President Roger Brown and I have discussed the critical need to build a sound stage on campus so that student artists can fully develop their live-performance skills.

Berklee already has three record labels, 10 new studios, Internet radio stations, 12 majors, and a great faculty. We understand what the music industry is, but we are not working in the industry. BPMi will benefit from a board of current music business leaders. We are assembling  world-renowned promoters, agents, managers, publishers, and social media experts. Collaboration between Berklee and industry professionals will change students’ lives.

I’ve had promising discussions with many music industry professionals, and I am pleased that Gerry Barad, the chief operating officer of Live Nation Global Touring gravitated to the idea and has attended meetings with President Brown, Provost Larry Simpson, and me about launching the institute. Many other music industry executives have also shown interest. Among them are leaders from C3, William Morris Endeavor, Windish Agency, Messina Group/AEG, YouTube, Spotify, Tait Towers, Vans, Red Bull, and more. Successful alumni also want to participate. John Czajkowski ’98, tour accountant for Bruce Springsteen and Katy Perry; Jared Braverman ’10, Live Nation Touring; Steve Canfield ’07, Red Bull; Steve Celinski ’07, Marshall Arts Group; Kim Gerlach ’03, YouTube; Dave Altarescu ’02, Spotify (and Berklee trustee); Josh Rowe ’03, the Hype Machine; Joe Peppin, Complete Control Management; Ardie Farhadieh ’09, Billions Corporation are interested in helping to shape BPMi.

BPMi has the potential to be a game changer for popular music education. We are exceedingly grateful that already a generous anonymous donor shares our vision, and has pledged $5 million to support the institute, supporting the plan to go from the classroom to the biggest stages in the world, participating in festivals that sell 100,000 tickets a day. And along the way, we’ll give back by visiting local-area schools and raising awareness about the value and impact of music in the world.