STAGES Summer 2017

S TA G E S BOSTON CONSERVATORY AT BERKLEE

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SUMMER 2017

SPECIAL EDITION featuring:

INSTITUTIONAL MILESTONES page 6

Q&As WITH RICHARD ORTNER AND ROGER H. BROWN page 10 and page 16

EARLY MERGER ACHIEVEMENTS page 14

150tshary

r Annive n Editio

of Boston Conservatory at Berklee. © 2017.

Editor in Chief: Andrea Di Cocco

Managing Editor: Samantha Burns Contributors: Samantha Burns, Andrea Di Cocco,

Brendan Higgins, Conservatory administrators

Design: Alyssa Kerr Cover Image: "Julius Eichberg, circa 1800s,"

from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee Archives Photography: Eric Antoniou, Jim Coleman, Kelly Davidson, Dave Green, Max Wagenblass, and Boston Conservatory at Berklee Archives GENERAL INFORMATION

Boston Conservatory at Berklee 8 Fenway, Boston, MA 02215

617-536-6340 | bostonconservatory.berklee.edu Andrea Di Cocco, Director of Marketing and Communications

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For changes to your address or mailing preferences, please contact Martin Christiansen at 617-912-9202 or mchristiansen@bostonconservatory.edu.

For information about the Annual Fund and how you can support

Boston Conservatory at Berklee, visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/giving.

Performance is being a good citizen, always listening, always watching, always being willing to help. MUSIC THEATER DANCE BOSTON CONSERVATORY OPERA BRASS Performance is leaping and choosing faith over fear! To open your heart and allow yourself to soar!

TROMBONE STRING MASTERS CELLO VIOLA VIOLIN COLLABORATIVE Performance is shedding all falsities and allowing the very core of the human condition to transform others. PIANO COMPOSITION CONTEMPORARY HARP EDUCATION ORCHESTRA Performance is an exchange: a new gift given every night. It is liberating and unique: challenging and provoking our intelligence. P E R CU S S I O N STRINGS PEDAGOGY SEULLY HALL VOICE WOODWINDS Performance is having the courage to put everything you believe into a single moment, and let that moment go. CHAMBER MUSIC STAGE MANAGEMENT ALUMNI FACULTY PARENTS Performance brings the experiences and life stories of the actor into a connection with each audience member, a connection unreachable by any other form of communication. MASTERS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS PERFORMANCE FENWAY Performance is ecstasy, honesty, beauty, and passion. It is a celebration of life and our world. Performance is love spilling over. IPSWICH HEMENWAY TRADITION INNOVATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP Performance is a time to make the impossible become possible. That is when the blood, sweat and tears are truly appreciated by the artist and the audience.

And in the end, the reward is a standing ovation. STUDIO MASTERCLASS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE CAMPUS REHEARSAL Performance is having something to say, and making something out of nothing. INTERNATIONAL STAGES ENERGY SPIRIT PASSION DEDICATION Performance is a living, breathing being: projecting and reflecting the energy in a room that is established when performers and audience members meet for the first time. No two performances are ever exactly the same for this reason. Performance is life reinvented, recreated... Performance is life celebrated. ARTISTRY PROFESSIONALISM LIGHTING CUTTING-EDGE SELF Performance wears many different hats. For me, it is leaving your baggage at the door and giving into your work. Connecting to your piece and relaying its message to the audience. It's bringing your whole self to your work and nothing less and taking risks. It's carrying on a tradition of many years, and many more to come. DISCOVERY COLLABORATIVE SYNERGISTIC IMPACT EXPERTISE Performance is constant inspiration. Each of us are where we are in life today because of others who inspired us along the way. Our art inspires us to perform. Our performance in turn inspires our belief in others and causes us to be the inspiration for our audience to desire to reach their full potential in becoming better people, better artists, better inspirations, and better performers. Its like a big circle; performance is what inspires us to inspire others. LEADERS FUTURE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE EXCELLENCE HISTORIC Performance is story-telling. You open up a dialogue with the audience- sometimes it will be a wildly funny conversation, other times it will be terribly sad. It's all about giving and receiving, and living in that connection. VISIONARY RENOWNED ACTING SINGING DANCING ENSEMBLE AUTISM Performance is the act of sharing - in a highly physical way - our gifts, art, passions, talents, and skills with others, hopefully to the very best that we can, after expending so much time, mental and emotional sweat, instinct, body, and spirit in order to understand how we do what we do! FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES DIPLOMA PROGRAMS MULTIDISCIPLINARY Art is looking at the world through the eyes of both the silliest child and the wisest elder at the same time. Performance is what happens when art comes to life. It is what makes life

STAGES is published for friends, parents, and alumni

Dear friends,

I'm so honored and pleased to share this special edition of STAGES, in celebration of the institution's 150th anniversary on February 11, 2017. This is a milestone year that finds the Conservatory in the midst of a defining transformation.

For one, we have successfully merged with Berklee and have once again made history, this time for establishing the most comprehensive, most forward-looking performing arts institution in the country—and the world. Already, the Herculean undertaking has borne many fruits, highlighted within these pages, and we have planted seeds for many more in the years to come.

Earlier this fall, I also announced my retirement in June 2017. It's exactly the right moment, of course; this was planned long before the merger was contemplated, using our sesquicentennial gala as the right point of articulation for a change in leadership. After nearly 20 years in this position, I am more grateful than I can say for the privilege of partnering with so many gifted faculty, so many extraordinary friends and supporters—and several thousand students— who have made this place what it is today. We've accomplished so much together! The Boston Conservatory has unquestionably taken its place among the premiere performing arts institutions of our time and, together with Berklee, we now become part of a global arts community that will enrich our city—indeed, all of us—in the years to come.

I hope you will join us for a spectacular anniversary celebration on May 9 at Boston's historic Symphony Hall, hosted by award-winning actor Alan Cumming, and featuring performances by our extraordinary students and alumni. I very much look forward to honoring the Conservatory's historic past and envisioning the bright future to come—with all of you!

Sincerely,

Richard Ortner President, Boston Conservatory at Berklee

bearable and worth living. SUMMER PROGRAMS EXTENSION PROGRAMS WORKSHOPS When the all of the practice, criticisms and even dreams are moved aside so the moment becomes all. When the mission is no longer to learn but to share, to express and to be. When the actions become bigger than us as individuals. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT YOUTH THE ZACK BOX PARTNERSHIPS Showing your artistry, your passion and talent within the scope of the performance with complete and total focus. EXPERIMENT ENTREPRENEURIAL GRANT PROGRAM MUSICALS Performance is storytelling at its finest. It is a privilege and a delight. A reverence for the world we live in. IMPROVISATION VIEWPOINTS DIRECTOR CHOREOGRAPHER BOX OFFICE Performance is the culmination of preparation and risk. HEADSHOTS GUEST ARTISTS DIVISIONS LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM Breathing in, breathing out. So much of the "performance" belongs to the audience. What is it we bring? The work, the heart, the thought, the connecting. It's more than we can control, and it's everything we can give. SUPPORT VOCAL COACH CHILDRENS OPERA THEATER FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES Performance is a way to share your passion with an audience. It is a way to affect others with something you love to do. Revealing your heart on stage. MOVEMENT MATTERS TROUBADORS SOLO CABARET Performance is simply giving and receiving as much truth as you possibly can while making it look effortless. WELCOME WEEKEND PRACTICE ROOMS PIANO MASTERS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Performance is the ability to share your soul, to not be afraid of being who you are, and to let your dreams come true. FROM THE GROUND UP BAROQUE ENSEMBLE SAXOPHONE CHORUSES BOCOCELLI Performance is a showcase of hard-work, preparation, devotion and passion. Within performance we collaborate with others to create a beautiful presentation. We also become one with the audience and engage them; in turn sharing with them the meaning of performance as a performer. TRITON BRASS NEW MUSIC RECITAL GALA IMAGINATION COMMENCEMENT To perform is to apply the beautiful skills you've cultivated. It is to reveal the deepest, most sensual, and vulnerable parts of your soul. To perform is to allow the essence of your love, joy, and spirit to shine out of you in a way that is utterly and completely unique to you. To perform is to invite an audience into your moment, so that they may create their own. ALMA MAT E R AUD I TIONS STUDENT GOVERNMENT A S S O C I AT I O N HOUSTON HALL Performance is an outward push of an inside passion. Performing is exposing one's innermost quirks, emotions, and character. Any performance is a well-thought-out plan that, when enacted, follows every possible path except that which had been planned.

Memorizing, reciting and standing is not a performance.

Living is a per formance. MARIMBA CONSERVATORY COLLEGE TICKETS FINALE CONDUCTOR Performance is indefinite. Performance is a fleeting moment. Performance is this moment, right now. Performance is everything and nothing. Performance is.

PULSE INSPIRATIONAL CHALLENGING INCLUSIVE ENCORE SCHOLARSHIP Performance is the opportunity to share an experience from your heart. To compel an audience with reality. To be vulnerable and yet confident. To show strength through adversity. And to be committed 110%. STUDIO MAINSTAGE DRIVEN FUTURE Where there's a way, there's a will. Performance is the transparency of the soul, the humility to display the innermost human expression. GENERATION OF ARTISTS PLAY A ROLE Performance isn’t what we do.

It’s who we are.

Performing is the ability to truly convey a story

Snapshots, 4

Institutional Milestones, 6

Q&A with Richard Ortner, 10

Academic Spotlight, 12

Early Merger Achievements, 14

Q&A with Roger H. Brown, 16

Giving Spotlight, 18

In the Limelight, 20

Noteworthy, 22

Stay connected: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/connect.

We want to hear from you!

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The Rape of Lucretia, 2007

Mayor Menino cutting ribbon at the re-opening of 31 Hemenway Street, 2009

Unknown, Seully Hall

Conservatory Memories Boston Conservatory dug into its photo archives for glimpse at the school's past 150 years. The collection shown here is just a handful of the Conservatory's many archived images—the majority of which are unlabeled. If you recognize anyone in the photos marked unknown or in the additional photos we've posted online, let us know at bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/150-photo-project.

Ruth Sandholm Ambrose instructing unknown students

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Iride Pilla

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Conservatory Connections at Massachusetts General Hospital, 2010

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From left: Neil Donohoe and Carmen S. Griggs

From left: Unknown student and the late Yousef Hezar Djeribian, owner and chef of Counterpoint Cafe (now Cafe24), 24 Fenway

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From left: Olympia Dukakis and Karl Paulnack

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The Conservatory's original location at 154 Tremont Street

Hemenway Street building, circa 1980s

A Storied Past 150 years of Boston Conservatory at a glance

By Brendan Higgins, staff archivist I n 1866, Boston newspapers advertised the opening of the new "Boston Conservatory of Music" in the heart of the city. Located across from the Boston Common, the school would usher in a new era of music education in Boston, rooted in the vision of its founder, Julius Eichberg. Trained in the European conservatory tradition, Eichberg believed that superior music education is achieved by building strong connections with students, and that all students—regardless of gender or race—should have the opportunity to excel.

After founding the Conservatory, Eichberg quickly enacted this vision, forming the firstever all-female string quartet: the Eichberg Quartet.

The Conservatory flourished for the latter half of the 19th century, until Eichberg's death, when leadership changes led to years of financial uncertainty. It was not until 1920, when Agide Jacchia—then conductor of the Boston Pops—realized that the school's legacy was worth preserving. With his Boston

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Symphony Orchestra connections, Jacchia revitalized the Conservatory by establishing the country's first-ever department of grand opera and hiring the city's best musicians as faculty to shape the next generation of performing artists and entrepreneurs. One such alumnus from that time was Albert Alphin, who would go on to change the entire course of Conservatory history.

Following his graduation from the Conservatory, Alphin recognized Boston as a hub for music education, and established of his own collective studio for music instruction, the National Associated Studios of Music (NASM). While Alphin's business flourished, Jacchia's death in 1932 brought on another period of uncertainty for Boston Conservatory. Alphin, fearing the collapse of his alma mater, stepped in as president and amalgamated NASM with the Conservatory to keep it running.

While Alphin's leadership upheld Eichberg's principles of building strong

student connections, his vision of performing arts education went beyond classical music instruction. Soon after assuming a leadership role, Alphin brought in Harlan F. Grant to establish a theater program and, in 1943, Alphin convinced renowned modern dancer Jan Veen to merge his burgeoning dance studio with the Conservatory. Thus, Boston Conservatory became the area's premier performing arts institution, and was the first conservatory to grant undergraduate degrees in all three major arts disciplines: dance, music, and theater.

Under the recent leadership of William Seymour and Richard Ortner, the student body expanded, while maintaining the feel of a small community, and the Conservatory solidified its status as a leading institution in performing arts education. Today, Boston Conservatory at Berklee remains a community where students can perform, collaborate, learn, and excel. Eichberg would be proud. ▪

February 11, 1867: German-born violinist Julius Eichberg founds "Boston Conservatory of Music" on Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts.

Julius Eichberg

1873: Julius Eichberg's operetta The Doctor of Alcantara is performed by the Colored American Opera Company, the first African American opera company in the U.S.

1878: Julius Eichberg establishes the Eichberg Quartet, which is the firstknown professional all-female string quartet. Members include Lillian Shattuck (violin), Lillian Chandler (violin), Abbie Shepardson (viola), and Lettie Launder (cello).

Lillian Shattuck

P.G. Lowery

May 22, 1887: Cornet prodigy Perry George "P.G." Lowery, believed to be the first African American to complete training at the Conservatory, arrives in Boston from Kansas to study with celebrated cornetist Henry C. Brown. (Julius Eichberg offered Lowery a scholarship after reading about his prowess on the cornet.

Lowery's stepbrother, trombonist Ed Greene, also traveled with Lowery and studied music in Boston.)

1914: The school's name is formally changed to "The Boston Conservatory and College of Oratory."

1870: The first diploma from Boston Conservatory of Music is issued to Richard E. Bobbitt, who successfully completed a multiyear program that included instruction in harmony and theory.

1876: Boston Conservatory of Music is among the first conservatories to grant admission to African Americans and women.

1880s: According to media accounts of the time, acclaimed concert violinist Joseph Douglass—grandson of noted abolitionist Frederick Douglass—received classical training at both Boston Conservatory of Music and New England Conservatory of Music. Douglass is one of the first African American performers to garner national and international renown.

A Boston Conservatory diploma, 1870

Joseph Douglass (standing) and Frederick Douglass

January 29, 1898: A "serious" fire of unknown origin rips through the fourth floor of 154 and 155 Tremont Street, in a section of the building that houses both Conservatory studios and Conservatory director R. Marriner Floyd's jewelry offices, according to newspaper reports.

bostoncons er vat or y.ber k lee.edu • 7

Ester Ferrabini Jacchia

1920: Agide Jacchia establishes the nation's first grand opera department at Boston Conservatory, which is something he felt was lacking in U.S. music schools. He then hires his wife, Ester Ferrabini Jacchia, a critically acclaimed singer best known for her portrayal of the title role in Carmen, to the opera faculty.

1935: The school formally changes its name back to "Boston Conservatory of Music."

1943: Jan Veen establishes what today is known as the Boston Conservatory Dance Division. It is the first integrated department of ballet and modern dance at the college level in the country, according to music historian Andrea Olmstead.

Jan Veen

March 17, 1956: The Conservatory's Theater Department gives the first of two performances of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, directed by Harlan F. Grant.

Program booklet

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February 11, 1967: The Conservatory celebrates its 100th anniversary with a concert featuring students and faculty performing with the Conservatory Orchestra under the direction of faculty member Rouben Gregorian. News accounts of the celebration note that not even the snowstorm that blanketed the city the night before could stop the festivities.

1920: Albert Alphin—who will go on to become one of the school's most influential figures—begins studies as a Boston Conservatory student.

A short time later, Iride Pilla enrolls and begins studying opera with Ester Ferrabini Jacchia. (Both Alphin and Pilla will go on to teach at the school years later.)

Albert CaptionAlphin Caption

1938: Boston Conservatory becomes the first conservatory to offer a degree in music education.

1946: Harlan F. Grant establishes what is today known as the Boston Conservatory Theater Division.

1951: Boston Conservatory is the first conservatory to offer an undergraduate degree in drama.

Harlan F. Grant

1958: Boston Conservatory is the first conservatory to offer undergraduate degrees in musical theater.

1964: Boston Conservatory purchases 8 Fenway, the building that is today recognized by students, faculty, and staff as the Conservatory's "home."

8 Fenway

1983: Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music cofound the Professional Arts (ProArts) Consortium, an association of six Bostonarea arts colleges that allow students to crossregister for courses. (By 2017, the consortium has grown to include seven area schools.)

ProArts Consortium logo

2006: The Conservatory launches its first-ever capital campaign to raise funds for renovation and expansion of its 31 Hemenway Street building.

The $30 million project, which provided for dramatic improvements to the facility, was successfully completed in 2010.

2011: The Conservatory purchases 132 Ipswich Street and demolishes the existing building to construct a new facility featuring the school's first-ever orchestra rehearsal hall, as well as studio and rehearsal space. The building opened its doors in 2014.

132 Ipswich Street

June 2015: Boston Conservatory and Berklee announce they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the schools to formally explore a merger.

February 10, 2017: The Conservatory holds an internal celebration for its 150th anniversary. A formal celebration emceed by awardwinning actor Alan Cumming and featuring spectacular student performances is held in Symphony Hall on May 9, 2017.

1982: The school's name is formally changed to "The Boston Conservatory."

1992: The Conservatory celebrates its 125th anniversary with "Point Me Towards Tomorrow," a celebration that included lectures, workshops, and a festival of performances.

1994: H. Wilfred Churchill '38 is the first alumnus to bequeath his entire estate to Boston Conservatory, providing funds for an annual piano scholarship that would support students for generations, known as the H. Wilfred Churchill Piano Scholarship.

Program booklet

2007: Boston Conservatory is the first conservatory to offer a private music lessons program to community members on the autism spectrum.

2013: Boston Conservatory becomes the first college to present an autism-friendly performance.

A private music lesson

2015: Boston Conservatory becomes the first conservatory to offer graduate degrees in music education and autism.

June 1, 2016: The Conservatory merges with Berklee, becoming "Boston Conservatory at Berklee."

The Boston Conservatory merges with Berklee

Internal celebration

A complete timeline of Boston Conservatory milestones can be found in 150 Stories: Celebrating 150 Years of People, Places, and Events That Defined Boston Conservatory, the school's first-ever comprehensive collection of historical events and accounts.

Learn more at bostonconservatory.edu/about/history. bostonco ns er vat or y.ber k lee.edu • 9

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Richard Ortner Boston Conservatory President from 1998–2017

After a 19-year tenure as President of Boston Conservatory, Richard Ortner announced his plans to retire in June 2017. A reserved but powerful presence, Ortner's career as a performing arts administrator started at Carnegie Hall, and took serious root at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center, to which he dedicated an impressive 23 years. Most recently, Ortner helped the historic Boston Conservatory realize its next phase of reinvention, leading the game-changing merger between the Conservatory and Berklee. In this Q&A, Ortner reflects upon his time at the Conservatory, and shares his hopes for the future.

AS A YOUNG MAN, YOU WERE ON TRACK TO BE AN ARCHITECT, BUT YOU ENDED UP PURSUING MUSIC INSTEAD. WHAT CHANGED YOUR MIND? Music never actually left center stage. By age 16, I knew I wasn't headed for the concert stage, but it was difficult to put a name to a career that I couldn't at that time describe. At the same time, architecture was a passion that did have a name, and I had strong encouragement from home to pursue that. While at Cooper Union, I hosted a radio program on WNYU (piano music), cut the occasional "Structures" course to practice on the new Steinway the school had just purchased for the Great Hall—and the "tug" back to music finally grew irresistible.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM YOUR WORK AT CARNEGIE HALL? I began as an usher at Carnegie Hall sometime in 1970. By this time, I was studying music at NYU, and discovered that someone would pay me $8 a night to get into a uniform, seat an audience, and then listen to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the BSO, the Philadelphia and Cleveland orchestras, Horowitz and Rubenstein and de Larrocha, Frank Zappa and Joni Mitchell, and 30 Messiahs at Christmas—I was in heaven!

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The big takeaway was a nascent understanding of how music gets to people—the structures of tours and season programs, of ticket sales and orchestra management, the needs and systems of the Hall itself, and the special care and feeding that great artists required in order to deliver their exceptional gifts to audiences.

YOU WORKED AT THE BSO FOR 23 YEARS. WHAT CONVINCED YOU THAT THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY WAS THE RIGHT NEXT STEP FOR YOU? The truth? It was a fire drill—literally. At the urging of a BSO Overseer who was also a Conservatory Trustee, I had put my hat into the ring for this position. One element of the interview process was a tour of the facilities (it was our wonderful former dean of students, Carmen Griggs, who gave me that tour). During the tour, fire alarms went off; students, staff, and faculty piled out of the building, in front of 8 Fenway. I stood off to the side and observed—and what I saw and felt was the warmth of people's interactions with one another. There was a true family feeling playing out, a shared sense of belonging—right on the sidewalk—and it was palpable. I knew of the Conservatory's fine theater and dance departments, its strong footprint in music education at the time, and the challenges of its

facilities, but I also knew that the Music Division had room to grow and improve. And it was that fire drill that told me what I really wanted to know—what did this place feel like? What was it then, and what did it aspire to be?

WHAT HAS THE CONSERVATORY TAUGHT YOU? More than I can say. Bravery. Gumption. Humility.

Pride. That the best teachers put everything on the line, every day. That our students can move us to tears; that they're better than they know.

That their performances can move in and occupy an open heart like nothing else. That good and great friends of this place truly wanted to make a difference. And that every day we open our doors, anything can happen.

WHAT PERSPECTIVE OF YOURS HAS CHANGED SINCE YOU JOINED THE CONSERVATORY? Coming from the high-functioning, well-resourced BSO, I wasn't at all sure that a small, undercapitalized institution like the Conservatory— with so many needs—could have the impact that it aspired to, nationally or locally. But as we collectively rolled up our sleeves and made progress every month, I came to believe that the Boston Conservatory would only be limited by its own timidity, and that—with some hard work—we

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Pam Kunkemueller and Richard Ortner

could secure not only a place at the table, but that we could also create and sustain a unique place among sister institutions. And so we have!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOSTON CONSERVATORY MEMORY? It would have to be the opening of our new theater at 31 Hemenway Street in October 2010.

The building had been completely transformed— to the astonishment and delight of students, faculty, alumni, and friends—and I was the lucky one to walk out on that stage for the first time and say, "Welcome!" Getting there took longer than we thought it would, but that moment was all the sweeter for the struggle.

IN TODAY’S WORLD, WHAT DO YOU THINK A CONSERVATORY SHOULD BE? Conservatories need to continue in their role preparing gifted young artists to take their place in the professional world. Conservatories must continue to set the bar high: craft and virtuosity, fluency with all the materials of making art, critical theory and history must be constants. But conservatories must also be cauldrons of new enterprise, and create both the new work and the performers who can tell us the stories that matter, that reflect what it feels like to be fully alive in this complex, damaged, beautiful world we inhabit.

WHAT MAKES BOSTON CONSERVATORY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER CONSERVATORIES IN THE COUNTRY? We've been unique for generations, of course; one only has to look at the long string of

Richard Ortner, Natalie Logan (M.M. '16, P.S.C. '17, opera), Marillyn Zacharis

important "firsts" we have to our credit. Today, however, I think what makes us unique is the merger with Berklee. All of the extraordinary work and excellence that are our hallmarks can now be expanded to reach a global audience, and (importantly) to position ourselves as a genredefying institution with limitless opportunities in the performing arts. We will continue to stand for the things we've stood for, but we have now become the place that simply offers… more!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN ROGER H. BROWN, AND WHEN DID THE IDEA OF A MERGER COME TO LIGHT? I've known Roger since his arrival as president at Berklee 12 years ago, but the idea of actually merging our two institutions didn't surface for conversation until fall of 2013. The 31 Hemenway Street project was complete, the 132 Ipswich Street studio building was on the right track, and the Conservatory was approaching completion of its next strategic agenda, looking at the things we'd need to do to remain vibrant in a fastchanging environment, when Roger and I took that first step toward imagining what the world would look like if we were one institution.

NOW THAT YOUR RETIREMENT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, WHAT'S NEXT?

philanthropic relationships, some involvement in continuing relationships with other significant arts organizations here at home and nationally. And I hope I'll have the opportunity to continue exploring the "artist village" concept that was put forward by the ProArts Consortium two years ago. (If that gains traction, it will be a job-and-a-half.) That, and a laundry list of personal pursuits that have been 'on hold' during my years as president!

WHAT IS YOUR VISION AND HOPE FOR THE CONSERVATORY'S NEXT 150 YEARS? The form of our merger with Berklee allows the Conservatory to maintain its unique profile and stature within the larger Berklee ecosystem.

While I want the Boston Conservatory to remain focused on its role in our own community, right here at home, the next 150 years should see the Boston Conservatory at Berklee explore and invent every possible benefit of global citizenship under the Berklee banner—and become truly the world's epicenter of performing arts excellence and creativity. ▪ Read Richard Ortner’s complete bio at: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/ about/boston-conservatory-berklee-leadership

We've been discussing the role of senior advisor, which could keep me involved in Conservatory affairs in the coming year—some travel for promotion and relationship building among feeder schools, some involvement in the cultivation and stewardship of the institution's most important

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State of the Conservatory Academic leaders of Boston Conservatory at Berklee share thoughts on the merger, one year later JOE BENNETT, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS "How are you?"

If you ask this question of any of our faculty, you'll get the same answer: "Oh, I'm pretty busy—we're going through some changes right now." And of course, as we approach our 150th anniversary, the Conservatory is experiencing its biggest ever expansion, from JIM O'DELL, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC OPERATIONS As current associate dean for academic operations and a member of the academic leadership team for 23 years and counting, I've had the privilege to be a part of both significant and positive change across all areas of Academic Affairs. New curriculum and program development, robust academic leadership and

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around 1,100 faculty, staff, and students to a wider community of more than 6,000. Academic Affairs is responsible for our curriculum, faculty, and teaching—that is, the three things that impact our students' learning most directly. Our goal is to maintain the Conservatory's standards of artistic and teaching excellence, while continuously adapting to the needs of the society and students we serve.

One of the things that defines a conservatory is selectiveness; we choose the very best applicants through our audition process, and we work with these exceptional people so that they can realize their full potential as outstanding artists. Our immediate future enables us to be ever more selective (through our expanding international connections and world-class marketing operations) and to provide what may be the broadest,

most diverse curriculum of any conservatory in history.

This is a truly inspiring institution to be a part of, and our future looks very bright indeed. In the year 2167, a community of faculty, staff, and students will be working together on our 300th anniversary celebrations. I hope they will say: "In 2017, the Conservatory was…pretty busy." ▪

vision, facilities expansion and improvements, and expanded faculty presence and expertise have all contributed to the astounding artistic growth of our student body.

years on the faculty and administration at BU, I had always dreamed how much richer the student experience could be with a curriculum that offered more diversity and contemporary choices.

community. With expanded academic choice and pathways, rich collaborative opportunities, increased academic offerings, and distinctive and unique preparation, our students will be the leading artists and entrepreneurs of the future. ▪

I first arrived to Boston in 1985 to teach at Boston University (BU). It wasn't long before I became a colleague to many Berklee faculty members through my efforts in establishing a jazz program and festival at BU. During my seven

The future of Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music is indeed bright. The merger and ongoing integration are already bringing new, unparalleled opportunities to our students and

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CATHY YOUNG, DEAN OF DANCE During the past five years, the Dance Division has experienced significant growth and change.

Enrollment has grown from 60 students in 2011 to 145 in 2016, with the program becoming increasingly more selective and diverse.

Our mission is built around four pillars: innovation, diversity, versatility, and student agency. And our efforts are working. For the ANDY VORES, INTERIM DEAN OF MUSIC The Music Division is thriving. We continue to present numerous compelling performances, almost daily, ranging from solo recitals to large ensembles to opera productions.

Contemporary classical music is a significant focus of our music-making and our academic work, and students and faculty prepared and executed the NEIL DONOHOE, DEAN OF THEATER I've had the privilege of working for two wonderful presidents. President William Seymour selected me to head the Theater Division more than 30 years ago.

His thoughtful stewardship poised the institution for growth, setting the stage for President Richard Ortner, whose imagination and strategic vision brought Boston Conservatory to world prominence.

past two years, we have been ranked the number one contemporary dance program in the U.S. Each year, we bring 10 to 12 internationally recognized choreographers to campus, and these artists connect our students to the breadth of what is currently happening in our field.

Moving forward, the Dance Division will continue to expand its national and international footprint through programs such annual New Music Festival in February 2017, featuring prominent contemporary composer Nico Muhly.

A Music Division Task Force, comprised of faculty and administration from both the Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, is meeting regularly to identify new opportunities for students resulting from the merger. We want to roll these out carefully, so there is judicious thinking about timing. However, we can This anniverary year, we wanted to acknowledge the school's journey, as well as the remarkable achievements of President Ortner. So, we honor the past, reflect on the present, and imagine the future as creative artists and educators, with productions ranging from Side Show (directed by creator Bill Russell), to Bernstein's Mass, which I codirected with faculty member Larry Sousa in April 2017.

Bernstein's Mass was chosen

as the newly formed partnership with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) in London, which provides our students the opportunity to earn a RAD teaching certification while completing their B.F.A. at the Conservatory; and the partnership with the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, which provides our students the opportunity to study abroad for a semester in China. We will also grow through adding new degree programs and

online coursework, while maintaining our tradition of rigorous technical and artistic training. We combine a respect for classical forms with an embrace of new ideas and approaches; we are a forward-looking program, an innovatory (laboratory for innovation) for 21st-century dance. ▪

expect recommendations for new types of ensemble opportunities, new types of courses, online and blended study, music technology, and music business initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students. Not all at once, but over time, we're going to see some wonderful new choices of degree path. ▪

because of President Ortner's long association with Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood, and with Bernstein's children, with whom he remains close friends. We are a bit ahead of ourselves in also celebrating the Bernstein centennial, but felt that taking a new conceptual look at this controversial masterpiece was fitting in President Ortner's retirement year. Reimagined, we hope it challenged our students, faculty, and audiences again, after such a tumultuous and

divisive political season.

We will close our anniversary season with a "play by the bard." I read once that a great play is deemed great if it engages a personal and world event simultaneously—text and context. Certainly, that describes the work of William Shakespeare. I think that it is fitting way to describe a great man as well—a man like Richard Ortner, a friend, mentor, leader, and visionary. ▪

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Early Merger Achievements Less than a year after the merger, students, faculty, and staff enjoy a variety of new benefits and opportunities BERKLEE TEACHERS ON TEACHING

NEW RECRUITMENT TRAVEL

Conservatory faculty have begun to take advantage of the rich faculty development resources offered at Berklee, including the remarkable Berklee Teachers on Teaching (BTOT) seminar. BTOT is presented in support of Berklee's strategic plan to be the leader of a national and international dialogue advancing discussions about the value of arts education and pedagogy.

Each year, more than 1,000 faculty members and administrators from across the school come together for two days to discuss and reflect on topics ranging from teaching strategies to health and wellness to performance and technology.

Teaming up with Berklee's Admissions team, Boston Conservatory Admissions was able to travel to new places for the fall 2017 recruitment season, which started summer 2016 and wrapped up in December 2016. The expanded travels included the Conservatory's first-ever six-city audition tour in Asia, which aimed to raise awareness of Conservatory programming and the advantages of studying in the U.S.

LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Conservatory faculty are beginning to learn and work with Berklee's advanced learning management system, an internet-based platform for classroom work.

CONSERVATORY MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES Berklee Online is helping Conservatory theater faculty develop the Conservatory's very first massive open online course (MOOC), currently called Auditioning for Musical Theater.

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ENHANCED STUDENT SERVICES Among the first departments to fully integrate post-merger was the Office of Student Affairs, which encompasses student health and wellness, counseling services, housing, student activities, and much more. With an eye to a campus-wide improvement in the student experience, this joint effort made for a natural next step. Students have had more access and a wider array of options and staff resources to consult at any point during their time at the school.

EXPANDED LIBRARY ACCESS In addition to the Conservatory's historic Albert Alphin Library, students are now also enjoying access to Berklee College of Music's high-tech Stan Getz Library. By fall 2017, further integrations will be added, such as joint use of online databases.

STRENGTHENED ACADEMICS AND NEW OFFERINGS One of the first integration efforts was the combining of the two campus's liberal arts departments, in an effort to enable greater elective choices for all students. In the fall semester, Conservatory students were able to crossregister for more than 15 new courses taught at Berklee College of Music, while College students were able to take more than 15 courses taught at the Conservatory. In addition to five new dance courses taught by Conservatory faculty and offered specifically to College students, a new minor in stage management launched in spring 2017 for College students.

COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMING In fall 2017, Berklee College of Music undergraduate music education programs and Boston Conservatory graduate music education programs will be integrated and housed in Berklee's Professional Education Division, reporting to Cecil Adderley, chair. Berklee will continue to offer a bachelor's degree in preK–12 music education, leading to Massachusetts teacher licensure. The Master of Music in music education (autism concentration) and graduate certificate programs in music and autism will continue, as well as the Master of Music in music education (non-licensure).

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Combining forces with Berklee has meant widespread change for Boston Conservatory since June 1, 2016. While change can be challenging and take time, the various integration projects across campus are taking root, and the school has already made impressive strides. STAGES selected a handful of favorites to highlight here.

NEW INSTITUTE FOR ARTS EDUCATION AND SPECIAL NEEDS Rhoda Bernard, Ed.D. will become managing director of the Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs in the fall of 2017. This institute includes the impressive autism programs developed by the Conservatory with a mission to advance music teacher preparation, offer professional development, and form partnerships.

NEW SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR 2017 The merger has allowed the greater Berklee institution to combine key resources needed to launch three exciting new summer programs: • Boston Conservatory Opera Intensive at Valencia—a three-week program hosted at Berklee's campus in Valencia, Spain, designed and taught by Boston Conservatory, for opera singers looking for focused training and career development opportunities.

• Day Sessions: Dance—a one-week dance program, offered for two sessions, for students ages 11 to 14 that is designed and taught by Boston Conservatory dance instructors.

• Day Sessions: Theater—a one-week theater program, offered for two sessions, for students ages 11 to 14 that is designed and taught by Boston Conservatory theater instructors.

CONSERVATORY ON THE BIRN

STAFF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

In fall 2016, the BIRN (Berklee Internet Radio Network) welcomed its first-ever Conservatory host, Sarah Brown (B.F.A. '17, musical theater).

After five weeks of training in the BIRN studios, Brown debuted her show, How to Pop, which airs on Thursdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and features songs by her favorite pop artists, such as Demi Lovato, Tori Kelly, and Sara Bareilles, as well as songs from musical theater productions, including Hamilton.

Berklee offers many opportunities for professional development that Conservatory staff members can now take advantage of, but perhaps the most popular is Berklee's Leadership Development Program, which welcomed two Conservatory staff members this year. This program—to which any staff member can apply, regardless of level or job title—is an outstanding opportunity for leaders from across the institution to come together to explore their own leadership styles and build additional skills in a wide range of leadership competencies. In addition, Berklee's Professional Development Sessions are also in high demand.

These sessions focus on different topics promoting healthy work styles and are offered throughout the year.

SHARED BOOKSTORE New and improved branded merchandise, featuring the recently unveiled Boston Conservatory at Berklee logo, are now available for purchase at the Berklee Bookstore.

Merchandise offerings are updated continuously, so the bookstore can always carry the latest trends.

COLLABORATIONS GALORE True to their innovative spirit, Conservatory students have continued to pave the way for integration opportunities on the ground through both informal and structured work with their Berklee College of Music counterparts, including the now well-known Bridge the Gap integration group, merger "Mash-Up" concerts, combined trips, and more.

OPERATIONAL MILESTONES On an operational level, the Conservatory and Berklee College of Music have made remarkable integration progress. As of December 2016, the institutions share public safety efforts, expanded access to facilities across both campuses, integrated major technology platforms, unified employee benefits and payroll systems, combined marketing and media relations initiatives, aligned recruitment and enrollment efforts, and fortified community relations and engagements. ▪

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QA &

Roger H. Brown Berklee President from 2004–present

Roger H. Brown has been president of Berklee since 2004. Under his leadership, the institution has amplified its reputation globally and expanded offerings in online learning, domestic and international study abroad, and new initiatives, such as BerkleeICE (Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship). As the visionary leader who co-led the merger with Boston Conservatory and will continue to oversee the future of the combined institution, STAGES sat down with Brown to get to know him on a more personal level.

DO YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THE ARTS? I grew up as a drummer. My grandmother gave me my first drum when I was 5 years old. When my school tried to get me to play trombone in fifth grade, I insisted that I play drums, because in school band, everyone wants to be a drummer.

Drumming, especially in popular rock and jazz fusion, was the primary path I followed as a musician, but I was also cast in a number of local musical theater productions. I was understudy to Oliver in Oliver Twist, but unfortunately they said I "looked a little too healthy," which I think was a euphemism for me being overweight, and I played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol in high school. In college, I wrote a musical comedy with

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two classmates as an academic project that we staged for a sold-out crowd and it was a massive success. A few years ago, I actually got some Berklee students together and recorded four songs from that project. Knowing what I know now, if I were to start over, I think I would have focused on being a songwriter. I've written some songs, and still play drums for my church.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL GENRE, AND WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST? My favorite artist of all time is Pat Metheny. Right now, I'm really into Americana as a genre, and I'm very fond of Sarah Jarosz, a New England Conservatory graduate who is now going to be on A Prairie Home Companion, and Berklee

graduate Sierra Hull, a bluegrass artist who, I think because of her Berklee experience, has branched out into other genres. Sarah and Sierra were actually nominated for Grammy Awards in the same category this year. I've also been listening to Hamilton non-stop—I think it's a work of genius!—and I still love jazz fusion—anything that is harmonically and rhythmically complicated and requires virtuosity to perform.

FAVORITE FOOD? Well, I love food, so there's almost nothing I don't like! But if I had to pick, I do love barbeque, pasta (or any kind of Italian food), and Indian and Mexican cuisine.

QA &

FAVORITE THING TO DO IN BOSTON? I love walking along the Charles River, browsing bookstores—like the Harvard Coop—and bicycling around Boston. I also love all the wonderful performances the city has to offer.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU JOINED BERKLEE? I was an entrepreneur and had started a business with my wife, Linda, called Bright Horizons. It's an organization that establishes child development centers at work places to help ease the strain of childcare for working parents and, ultimately, improve family relationships. It's a really cool concept that has been very successful—many major organizations and corporations (hospitals, universities, etc.) have set up childcare centers for their employees that Bright Horizons runs. Today, the business has around 30,000 employees around the world, including centers in India, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the U.S. I'm still on the board, but not involved in day-to-day operations.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY IN A LEADER? It's hard to pick one thing. Leadership is often a question of knowing which tool to take out of the tool kit and when. I think the essence of leadership is to understand the challenge at hand and be able to identify the right set of responses and tools required to find a solution.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO TAKE ON THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT OF BERKLEE? I see Berklee as the culmination of my life's work. I spent my earliest professional years as a musician, then I lived overseas for about 10 years doing refugee relief work and humanitarian work, and then—when I returned to the U.S.—I was an entrepreneur for 16 years. Berklee is the destination of all those paths, because of the way it combines all those different values in one place. At Berklee, I'm around great musicians— all of whom are amazing and come from all these countries around the world that I'm still so interested in—and it's a very entrepreneurial place, in which we expect our students to be entrepreneurial. So, as Berklee leadership, we need to set an example for our students, and pursue inspired ideas that make the institution a better and more successful place that enables our students to have the careers that they want to have.

IN TODAY’S WORLD, WHAT DO YOU THINK A CONSERVATORY SHOULD BE? It seems to me that a conservatory ought to be a place that you come to be with passionate, likeminded people and teachers who are mentors and have knowledge and information that you might need in your own future career. It's a place where you get a concentrated focus on your craft and what you care about that positions you to pursue a path in which you'll use the skills you've developed. To some extent, it's an enclave where you get to really focus on bettering yourself as a musician, or an actor, or a dancer, in a way that you couldn't in a mainstream environment.

That said, I feel that a conservatory shouldn't be a place where you become so detached from reality that what you're studying ends up being esoteric and doesn't help you build a career. So it's important to find the right balance between letting people retreat from the world and enabling them to focus on their craft. I also think it's critical that conservatories serve to unlock creativity. Technical training and analytic study is only half of the equation—and it's the easy part that we've mastered. What's more challenging is to inspire someone to use that knowledge and those skills to create the next great musical or write the next great symphony that will somehow change the world and be a subject of study in 50 or 100 years. I don't think we should shy away from that challenge; as a conservatory of the future, this is where we need to place our focus.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER A YOUNG ARTIST WHO IS THINKING ABOUT A CAREER IN THE ARTS, BUT UNSURE OF ITS VALUE IN TODAY’S ECONOMY? I would ask them to do their own soul-searching and reflecting on what kind of life and career they want to have. If the arts calls them, then I would say be fearless and come do it. There are lots of career pathways in the arts—more than most 18 year-olds and their parents are aware of—and there are a lot of people like me, who pursued a career in the arts and went a different path and had plenty of success in the more traditional world. On the other hand, I'd say if you're really not sure, then you shouldn't come, because this is an intense, passionate place, that requires your full heart and commitment.

YEARS FROM NOW, HOW WILL YOU DETERMINE IF THE MERGER WAS A SUCCESS? In the most aspirational sense, I'd like to see us filling busloads of students to see the new Broadway production that was cowritten by alumni who met when they were students at our institution, and whose cast is made up of actors who studied here. And then after the show is over, that busload of students go see a jazz concert performed by alumni who have just won a Grammy. And then after that, they see a sensational dance group that was formed while at Berklee who is now touring the world. Now of course, that takes a while and that's not the only measurement of success, but to me, that's going to be the ultimate test—does this elevate our ability to support students pursuing their dreams and having success, and does it put us at the epicenter of the creative force in that world?

WHAT IS YOUR VISION AND HOPE FOR THE CONSERVATORY’S NEXT 150 YEARS? I think the vision moving forward is collective and will have input from many different voices, but my own contribution to the conversation is that I want us to be the essential institution that is the most attractive in the world to aspiring actors, dancers, and musicians, and one that gives our students the greatest possible impact in their field so that they can sustain a living creating art and doing what they love. ▪ Read Roger H. Brown’s complete bio at: berklee.edu/president/thepresident

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Commitment to the Future Investing now to support the next 150 years of performing arts In celebration of 150 years of performing arts education, Boston Conservatory at Berklee's emphasis on building scholarship support has never been stronger. With a named scholarship program that is nearing its 13th year and a capital campaign that aims to engage donors, increase philanthropic support, and grow endowed scholarship opportunities, the school's ultimate goal remains to provide every deserving student with a world-class education, and reduce the financial burden on graduates as they pursue careers in performing arts.

The Conservatory's dedication to supporting students means putting a laser focus on the critical financial support they need to succeed in their art and in their lives, and increasing opportunities for generous donors to make an impact on campus through philanthropy.

Conservatory supporters have the ability to increase the overall number of scholarships available by creating an annual named or endowed scholarship. This not only allows donors to commemorate a gift in honor or in memory of someone special,

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but also directly supports a student in a given year. Student Cory Gross (M.M. '18, opera) explained, "Giving to Boston Conservatory is so important because it enables scholarships that help students like me be able to afford to come to this school and learn in this incredible and artistic environment."

Capitalizing on the momentum built by the 150th anniversary, the Conservatory will be hosting a gala celebration to raise funds to directly support the areas of greatest need for students, including scholarships, facilities, and new performance and academic opportunities. The event, taking place on May 9, 2017, will honor the Conservatory's history and feature award-winning actor Alan Cumming as Master of Ceremonies.

The gala will also serve as the official nod to the future of the Conservatory as part of the Berklee institution. A school known for innovating and reinventing itself generation after generation, its newest incarnation as Boston Conservatory at Berklee will bring its high-quality conservatory education to a global stage.

While the 150th Anniversary Gala hopes

to draw a large amount of financial support, donations of any amount to the Annual Fund, which supports and enhances every aspect of the student experience, make an impact.

At the Conservatory, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends choose to directly support students through the Annual Fund. Annual Fund donor and alumnus Andy Chau (M.M. '12, music education) spoke about why he gives back: "I support Conservatory students because they are the future leaders in the performing arts industry. Our students are extremely passionate and talented, and I want to support their success in any way possible." â–Ş To give a gift to support the Annual Fund and the greatest needs of our students, visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/donate.

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Stronger Together Decades of collaboration, elevated The Conservatory's mission has always been to prepare and inspire students to perform at the highest level in their art and in their lives.

Fast forward to June 1, 2016, when Boston Conservatory—a nearly 150-yearold institution—joined forces with Berklee College of Music. Many were unsure of how these two entities, classical and contemporary, would combine in harmony, but in reality, the two schools have shared students, faculty, staff, and resources for decades. The commonalities do not stop within the campus walls; the institutions separately have a strong list of supporters, many of whom have overlapped.

As a combined institution, these relationships have laid the groundwork for what is to become an even stronger force for supporting students' goals.

Combined, the schools have gained the support of more than 28,000 individual, corporate, and foundational donors.

One such donor, Jason Camello '01, is an alumnus of the former Berklee/Boston Conservatory Cooperative Masters program in jazz composition, and currently serves

as director of Berklee's Office of Global Initiatives. To Camello, participating in a cooperative program was a no-brainer. He explains, "The unique design allowed me access to incredible artist-educators at both institutions. The institutional connection afforded me the chance to have my music performed by some of the best musicians in the world. The experience was truly inspiring."

The impact of the combined program stayed with Camello, who now gives back as an administrator and a donor. "My experience...revealed to me the heart of both institutions, which is the teachers and the students. Both institutions have amazing faculty who are present and engaged in the world of performing arts.

The students are equally incredible, diverse and have unlimited potential."

Camello expressed that these core values are what drives him to give back, and encouraged other alumni to do the same.

"Take a moment and think back to one of the many learning experiences you have had in your time at the Conservatory. Dwell on and enjoy that moment of revelation

when you broke through a barrier and became a better artist. Now, transfer that feeling of delight and watch it appear on a young student's face. Even a small gift can contribute to more of that. We need more of that!"

The many students, faculty, and staff who have had the opportunity to work or study at both institutions since the 1960s have been the biggest supporters of the merger, and Camello is no exception.

His initial response to the news was pure excitement. He explained that it is the nature of artists' creative spirit to seek and create the very best. "I see the merger as a commitment to excellence, opportunity, and a bold vision of the world of performing arts by this new organization."

While the positive outcomes of the merger are only just beginning to crystallize, campus-wide collaborations, new academic opportunities, and streamlined operations are well underway.

Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music's common passion for the performing arts and strong sense of community remains unchanged. ▪ bostoncons er vat or y.ber k lee.edu • 1 9

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IN THE LIMELIGHT

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Boston Conservatory at Berklee held division alumni events during Welcome Weekend, October 14 through 16, 2016.

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Boston Conservatory at Berklee Music Division hosted baritone Andrew Garland (left) for a master class with voice students on December 5, 2016.

Boston Conservatory President Richard Ortner and Berklee President Roger H. Brown were honored by Kelly Brilliant (center) and the Fenway Alliance at their annual FACES event on December 2016.

Boston Conservatory at Berklee held its 12th annual Scholarship Tea on September 25, 2016.

Erika Taylor (M.M. '17, music education) and President Emeritus William Seymour, pictured.

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Laura Marie Duncan (B.F.A. '94, musical theater), director of the 2017 Musical Theater Showcase in New York City, and Tonynominated actress Celia KeenanBolger after a workshop for the musical theater graduating class, March 2017.

Musical theater students Kenesha Reed (M.F.A. '18) and Yewande Odetoyinbo (M.F.A. '18) performing at Boston Conservatory Day on February 10, 2017, an event celebrating the school's 150th Anniversary.

Two students, and teacher Gianni Di Marco, during Conservatory Connections' second session of Step by Step!, a dance program for children on the autism spectrum in fall 2016.

Alumni enjoyed a Boston holiday event at Back Bay Social Club December 13, 2016.

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What is "Boston Conservatory at Berklee" to you?

Let's look at the origin of the word conservatory: we are conserving excellence in the performing arts—but that doesn't make us conservative. At Berklee reflects our choice to look to the future and bring the arts into the 21st century.

—Brian Calhoon, Conservatory staff

Conservatory community members weigh in on what the "new" Boston Conservatory means

My closest friends work at the Conservatory. There isn't a day that goes by that a student doesn't pop into my office just to say hello. The day after the election of 2016 was the day when the familial aspect of the Conservatory increased tenfold.

We bonded together as a group and expressed ourselves through song, dance, and creative writing.

We remained present and there for each other. I will be forever grateful to have been with my Boston Conservatory at Berklee family that day.

—Sarah Shechtman, Conservatory staff

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Faculty Haiku we hone young arrows: help craft their sharpest edges, balance flex and spine —Bryn Austin, Conservatory theater faculty

When I think of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, one word comes to mind: growth. As a professor, it represents growth for my development as a teaching artist, and opportunities for connecting and collaborating with others in the profession not only in Boston, but in the national and international communities. For my students, growth is represented in their vocal development and their overall artistic selves. At the Conservatory, we educate individuals so they have academic freedom to discover all the dimensions of their person and its effect on the professional world.

—Rebecca Folsom, Conservatory voice faculty

To me, Boston Conservatory at Berklee is a community of artists, coming together to learn, create, and celebrate the multitude of ways to express the human experience through voice, sound, movement, and storytelling.

—Eli K. Epstein, Conservatory brass faculty

Boston Conservatory at Berklee is an opportunity for those with a gift and a calling for a performing art to commune, as students, teachers, and colleagues—with the luxury of time and commonality of desire for artistic self-discovery—to collaborate, learn, and evolve with each other. It's an opportunity infused with love, and a yearning to break through to the truest expression of self through one's art.

—Ken Baltin, Conservatory theater faculty

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To me, Boston Conservatory at Berklee means family. I've been a part of the Conservatory for 12 years.

I started by attending the Boston Conservatory Vocal/Choral Intensive and have been in love ever since. I went on to complete my Bachelor of Music and two Master of Music degrees in voice performance/ vocal pedagogy. Now, I'm assistant director of admissions, and the sense of family that I have felt from the beginning remains ever present.

It means almost everything to me!

I've worked at the Conservatory since 1978, and have seen numerous changes come along. Many wonderful people have shared this

workplace with me as the years have gone by, and it's been a particular pleasure for me to work closely with so many worldclass musicians, as colleagues and even friends. I also enjoyed speaking on numerous occasions with the former Dance Division director, Yasi Tokunaga, about obscure dance music issues that would arise as she programmed her performances. It was a privilege to be here for the major upgrades in the Conservatory as a whole, both under Richard Ortner these last few years, and under his predecessor, Bill Seymour, both of whom moved the Conservatory into entirely new levels of excellence in so many areas. I've been very fortunate to work under a most understanding and competent supervisor, Jennifer Hunt, these last 14 years. I hope I've made it clear that working here has been a rare privilege and an honor to be among so many wonderfully talented students and colleagues in the performing arts.

—Reg Didham, Conservatory staff

At the beginning of each school year, I make a vow to my students: I will treat them as fellow artists.

Many do not feel quite ready to assume this mantle. To some, the title of artist is intimidating, alien.

What are the responsibilities of the artist? What are the challenges and rewards? I ask them first to be fully present in body, mind, and spirit.

To breathe, center their energy, and focus. I invite them next to attend to the world with perceptiveness

and patience. To look and truly see; to listen and truly hear. I encourage them to respond to experience with bravery and imagination. To take risks, to make leaps, to go out on a limb. I allow them the freedom to experiment, to try and to fail, to make discoveries and connections.

Artists come to realize that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, only infinite possible solutions to any creative problem. Finally, I insist that they share their ideas with generosity and joy. To take genuine pleasure in making something beautiful in order to give it away. In short, I try to empower them to be artists.

I ask that each student commit to bring his or her full self to the work. It can be both terrifying and liberating to do so. The arts teach us what makes us human, what it means to be human. And we begin this journey by examining our full true selves: our identity, our memory, our history, our family. I encourage students to embrace

their passions, acknowledge their faults, celebrate their individuality, and recognize their potential. Each student comes to terms with his or her myriad identities: a complex and often contradictory swirl of potential, unique as the whorls of their fingerprints. Through the lens of their own identity, they see the world in specific ways, opening up the possibility for understanding and empathy. Our relationship to others—and the world around us—is the heart of artistic enterprise. And that's what Boston Conservatory at Berklee is to me—an environment that supports those relationships and fosters artistic growth.

—David R. Gammons, Conservatory theater faculty

Support students today and impact the future of the performing arts.

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Eileen Meny, Senior Stewardship Officer 617-912-9128 | emeny@bostonconservatory.edu bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

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Learn how you can name or contribute to a scholarship:

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Living in the city and attending one of the best schools in the world can be costly, even with financial aid. Help our deserving students become tomorrow's influential artists by donating to our scholarship fund. Scholarship is the most significant gift you can give to a young artist.

Your gift can change lives.

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NOTEWORTHY BERKLEE AND BOSTON CONSERVATORY BOARD OF TRUSTEES: 2016–2017

Susan Whitehead, Board Chair Michael R. Eisenson, Vice Chair Roger H. Brown, President Richard Ortner, President, Boston Conservatory at Berklee David Abrams Luis Alvarez G. Leonard Baker, Jr. Michael A. Brown John Connaughton Cynthia K. Curme* Emilio Estefan Gloria Estefan Monica Giraldo '02 Dean F. Goodermote David Gross-Loh Joshua Gruss '97 Christopher Guest Nils Gums '06

Dan Harple Kristine Moyer Higgins Charles Hirschhorn Steven Holtzman William Kaiser Joel Katz B. J. Krintzman* Laura D. Kunkemueller* Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Miky (Mie Kyung) Lee Martin J. Mannion Demond Martin Marc Mayer Jane L. Mendillo Frederick T. Miller* Peter Muller Anthony Pangaro* Alexander Rigopulos Darius Sidebotham* David Scott Sloan* Jeff Shames Susan Solomont Jeffrey C. Walker Ann Marie Wilkins Marillyn Zacharis* Barry Zubrow

| BOARD

LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Teresa Koster, Chair Laura D. Kunkemueller, Boston Conservatory at Berklee Liaison Elizabeth S. Boveroux Gregory E. Bulger Davi-Ellen Chabner Caroline McMillan Collings Diana Dohrmann '71 Kate Sides Flather Mimi Hewlett Kelly C. McKernan Dr. Lyle J. Micheli Pamela A. Murray Charlotte Prescott Newton Megan O'Block Christopher D. Perry Santosh Perumbadi Wanda Reindorf Geraldine R. Ricci Jan Steenbrugge '99 Peter J. Wender Edward G. Wertheim Tania Zouikin

NOTEWORTHY

BOSTON CONSERVATORY AT BERKLEE BOARD OF OVERSEERS

Ivy C. Scricco, Chair Anne N. Cuervo, Vice Chair Steven E. Eisenberg P'17, Vice Chair Stacy Parkinson, P'14, P'16, Ambassador Howard H. Bengele, Ph.D. Joan Broderick Doreen Donovan Corkin Ronald R. Duska P'17 Miles A. Fish, III '63 Edward C. Fleck Jill A. Fopiano, C.F.A. Jennifer A. Fraser John S. Foster Remmi Franklin Christina P. Glen Preston B. Grandin Rose Ann Humphrey Alice Jacobs Kate Kush Tom Kush Marilyn Levitt

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Photo courtesy of Danielle Davidson

Photo courtesy of Paul Daigneault

26, 2016. The show was remounted from December 30, 2016 to January 22, 2017.

(PICTURED BELOW)

William Cotten (musical theater) hosted the annual Thanksgiving service at the South Eaton Meeting House, November 2016.

Paul Daigneault (musical theater) directed SpeakEasy Stage Company's production of The Scottsboro Boys at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, which ran October 21 through November

* Legacy Conservatory Trustee

| FA C U LT Y & S TA F F

Maureen Brennan (musical theater) released a new holiday album, Maureen Brennan, Songs of Good Cheer, December 2016.

Danielle Davidson (dance) and her partner, Shura Baryshnikov, took their self-produced company, Doppelganger Collective, on tour to London, November 2016. (PICTURED RIGHT)

Ricardo Lewitus, M.D. Greg Mailloux Michele Manganaro Michael G. Moyer Brendan Murphy Sean Murphy '94 '96 Barbara G. Papesch Suzanne H. Rollert Warren A. Seamans Robb Silva Anne Tolkoff Rosamond Vaule Jason S. Weissman Amy K. Wertheim George C. White

Andy Vores (interim dean of music) presented an evening of his original string compositions at the Lamplighter Brewing Co., part of the Original Gravity Concert Series, February 2017.

NOTEWORTHY highlights a small portion of the extraordinary achievements of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee community.

If you have news to share, visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/connect and submit your story today.

NOTEWORTHY

top prize awards at the American String Teachers Association Massachusetts Chapter Solo Competition, March 2017. Sadaba is a student of Rhonda Rider and Siles is a student of Markus Placci.

MUSIC

Megan Callahan (M.M. 18, opera), Michael Miller (M.M. '18, opera) and Michaela Wolz (B.M. '17, voice) were contracted to cover roles and serve as young artists at the St. Louis Opera for Summer 2017. Callahan, Miller, and Wolz are students of Rebecca Folsom.

Raymond Dineen (G.P.D. '18, viola), Caxton Jones (B.M. '16, G.P.D. '18, violin), Marguerite Salajko (M.M. '17, cello), and Svens Skriveris (B.M. '17, violin) performed for the Sound Bites Series in February 2017 at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston as members of the Boston Conservatory Honors String Quartet. The quartet is coached by Judith Eissenberg.

Abigail Dock (M.M. '15, P.S.C. '17, opera) sang the role of Amastra in Handel's Xerses at The Glimmerglass Opera Festival in 2017.

Dock is a student of Rebecca Folsom.

Simon Dyer (M.M. '15, G.P.D. '17, voice/ opera) will be covering roles at Santa Fe Opera in summer of 2017. Dyer is also the 2016–2017 Emerging Artist with Boston Lyric Opera. Dyer is a student of Rebecca Folsom.

Rudy Giron (M.M. '17, opera) won the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions District of Puerto Rico, December 2016. Giron is a student of Rebecca Folsom.

Natalie Logan (M.M. '16, P.S.C '17, voice) was the recipient of the American Prize in Vocal Performance—the Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award, in the college/university opera division, November 2016. Logan is a student of Patty Thom.

Elisa Rodriguez Sadaba (B.M. '17, cello) and Montserrat Siles (B.M. '20, violin) received

through November 26, 2016. The performance was remounted from December 30, 2016 to January 22, 2017.

J.P. Coletta (B.F.A. '18, musical theater) was nominated for a 2017 Helen Hayes Award.

Leonardo Galletto (B.F.A. '18, musical theater) performed in New Repertory Theater Company's production of Fiddler on the Roof, December 2016.

Photo courtesy of Keren Satkin

Quinn Bernegger (M.M. '18, opera), Sean Galligan (M.M. '18, opera), and Ryan Stoll (M.M. '17, opera) will sing roles at the Des Moines Metro Opera in summer 2017.

Bernegger, Galligan, and Stoll are all students of Rebecca Folsom.

Quinn Bernegger (M.M. '18, opera) won The American Prize: Celebrating American Excellence in the Arts (men in opera and men in art song/oratorio), November 2016.

Bernegger is a student of Rebecca Folsom.

|| C CU URRRREEN NTT SSTTU UD DEEN NTTSS

Jacqueline Smook (B.F.A. '19, musical theater) performed a cover of Madonna's Express Yourself on NPR through the Center for the Development of Arts Leaders (CDAL) program, summer 2016.

Keren Satkin (B.M. '18, flute) won first prize at The James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competition, January 2017. Satkin is a student of Linda Toote. (PICTURED ABOVE)

Mickey White (B.F.A. '19, musical theater) performed in Woodstock Playhouse's production of Pippin in Woodstock, New York, summer 2016.

Elijah Smith (B.M. '17, composition) had his work selected as part of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Composers Initiative, March 2017. Smith is a student of John Murphree.

DANCE

Mahoko Taniguchi (M.M. '17, music) won first prize at the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra Competition. Taniguchi is a student of Kathryn Wright.

He Zhang (B.M. '17, clarinet) was selected as a winner of the 2017 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition. Zhang is a student of Michael Norsworthy.

THEATER Amanda Bowman (B.F.A. '20, contemporary theater) performed as an actor/stilt puppeteer in Franklin Park Zoo's Midnight Zoo, October 2016.

Darren Bunch (B.F.A. '15, musical theater), De’Lon Grant (M.M. '09, musical theater), Wakeem Jones (B.F.A '19, musical theater), Steven Martin (M.M. '07, voice), Darrell Morris, Jr. (M.F.A. '17, musical theater), Aaron Michael Ray (M.F.A. '16, musical theater), and Isaiah Reynolds (B.F.A. '18, musical theater) portrayed The Scottsboro Boys in SpeakEasy Stage Company's production by the same name, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, October 21

Brianna Bunkley (B.F.A. '18, dance), Brittney Brown (B.F.A. '19, dance), Justin Daniels (B.F.A. '19, dance), Marquis Floyd (B.F.A. '17, dance), and Crislin Williams-Womack (B.F.A. '19, dance) performed in collaboration with Berklee musicians on a show honoring Angela Y. Davis at the Berklee Performance Center, September 2016.

Natalie Cecchini (B.F.A. '17, dance) performed and hosted a Q&A about what it takes to become a professional ballet dancer at Ballet Arts Centre of Winchester, Summer 2016.

Mitzi Eppley (B.F.A. '17, dance), Georgia Lipari (B.F.A. '18, dance), and Lauren Worley (B.F.A. '17, dance) collaborated with Berklee student Fabrizio Vasquez on his original song "En Unos Años," featuring Nabález on lead vocals and choreography by dance faculty member Mila Thigpen, November 2016.

Nicholas Heffelfinger (B.F.A. '17, dance) will join Dark Circles Contemporary Dance in Dallas, Texas, summer 2017.

Christopher Kinsey (B.F.A. '18, dance) and Hannah Pregont (B.F.A. '18, dance) performed at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for ASAP Live in New York City, August 2016.

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NOTEWORTHY

| ALUMNI

1960s

1990s

Donald Bravo (B.M. '64, bassoon) recently performed in the orchestra for Boston Lyric Opera's production of Bizet's Carmen.

Susan Goforth (B.F.A. '91, musical theater) produced the Nellie Bly biographical film 10 Days in a Madhouse and was selected among 336 others to compete in the 2017 Academy Awards.

1970s

Ebony Williams (B.F.A. '05, dance) was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine, October 2016.

Augustine Mayuga Gonzales's (G.P.D. '06, piano) album Undertale: Piano Collections debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Classical Music chart, March 2017.

Andrea J. Buchanan (B.M. '92, piano) is a New York Times bestselling author whose latest book is the multimedia young adult novel GIFT, published by Open Road Integrated Media. Her other work includes the internationally bestselling The Daring Book For Girls and seven other books.

Eugenia O’Brien (B.F.A. '73, dance) was recently featured in The Maine Mag article "50 Mainers Boldly Leading Our State" which discussed O'Brien's involvement in the Maine ballet scene and her creation of CORPS, a pre-professional immersion program for dancers.

Veronica J. Kuehn (B.F.A. '06, theater) performed with Asolo Rep in Guys and Dolls as Miss Adelaide, November 2016.

Kendal Hartse (B.F.A. '07, theater) will be playing Texas and understudy for Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes's national tour of Cabaret, 2017.

Mihail Jojatu (G.P.D. '99, cello) will serve as Boston Symphony Orchestra's principal cellist for the remainder for the 2017 season.

Gerald Mordis (B.M. '76, music education) recently performed as first violin in Boston Lyric Opera's production of Bizet's Carmen.

2010s

2000s

Karen Peterson (B.F.A. '76, dance) and her company, Karen Peterson and Dancers, were awarded a major grant of $150,000 from the Knight Foundation in November 2016 to launch FORWARD MOTION, an annual integrated dance festival and conference in Miami.

Erin Davie (B.F.A. '00, musical theater) was cast as Yvonne/Naomi in Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway, January 2017.

David Fuller (M.M. '78, B.M. '74, voice) currently serves as coordinator of liturgical music at the Church of St. Anselm, in addition to his role as director of music for the Fairmount Center in Novelty Ohio.

Photo Credit: Gary Emord-Netzley

1980s Melissa Greenberg (B.F.A. '84, musical theater) currently works for Stuart Oken, as lead producer for the Elephant Eye Theatrical productions of An American in Paris and The Addams Family.

Jack Noseworthy (B.F.A. '87, dance) produced Arrabal, a tango, rock 'n' roll musical at the American Repertory Theater, May 2017.

26 • STAG ES

Photo courtesy of Nick Adams

Elizabeth Leehey (B.M. '81, clarinet) is director of the Canton American Legion Community Band.

Laura Dreyfuss (B.F.A. '10, musical theater) opened Dear Evan Hansen, a new Broadway musical, December 4, 2016.

(PICTURED ABOVE)

Nick Adams (B.F.A. '05, musical theater), along with other Broadway, Hollywood, theater, dance, and music artists, came together to record the iconic Beatles song "With a Little Help from My Friends" for National Arts Advocacy Day, March 2017.

(PICTURED ABOVE)

Matthew Kacergis (B.F.A. '10, musical theater) played Prince Eric in the national tour of The Little Mermaid at the 5th Avenue Theatre, December 2016.

Nicholas Christopher (B.F.A. '12, musical theater) landed the role of John in Miss Saigon on Broadway, March 2017.

NOTEWORTHY highlights a small portion of the extraordinary achievements of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee community.

If you have news to share, visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/connect and submit your story today.

Liam Ford (B.F.A. '11, musical theater) and Chad Kimball (B.F.A. '99, musical theater) were nominated for the 2017 Helen Hayes Awards.

Anna Bridgman (M.M. '16, voice) is serving as a young artist and is covering roles at Sarasota Opera, January to May 2017.

Daniel DeSimone (M.M. '16, contemporary music) won second prize and received the audience choice award at the 2016 TROMP Percussion Competition in Eindhoven, Netherlands, November 2016.

Shoba Narayan (B.F.A. '12, musical theater) made her Broadway principal debut as Natasha in The Great Comet, March 2017.

Eric Ferring (M.M. '16, voice) is covering roles in Handel's Alcina at Santa Fe Opera, spring 2017.

Vanessa Becerra (M.M. '14, voice) will perform the role of Laurie in Oklahoma! at The Glimmerglass Festival, summer 2017.

Kylie Jefferson (B.F.A. '16, dance) joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York City, summer 2016.

Bradley Gibson (B.F.A. '13, musical theater), Charlie Marcus (B.F.A. '88, musical theater), Dominic Nolfi (B.F.A. '00, musical theater), and Keith White (B.F.A. '12, musical theater) opened A Bronx Tale: The New Musical on Broadway, December 1, 2016.

Zachary Daniel Jones (B.F.A. '16, musical theater) made his Broadway debut in Cats, January 2017.

Photo Credit: Sara Jenkins

Courtney Miller (M.M. '11, G.P.D. '12, voice) is covering roles as the mezzo young artist at the Florida Grand Opera for its 2016–2017 season.

Wei-Chen Lin (A.D. '16, marimba) was appointed percussionist for the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in September 2016. Lin was a student of Nancy Zeltsman.

Samantha Schmid (M.M. '15, P.S.C '16, voice) received honorable mention for the American Prize in Vocal Performance—the Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award, in the college/university opera division, November 2016. (PICTURED ABOVE)

Charles Patterson (B.F.A. '16, dance) joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet in New York City, summer 2016.

Amos Oliver III (B.F.A. '13, dance) performed in Hairspray Live on NBC, December 7, 2016.

(PICTURED ABOVE) BeiBei Guan (M.M. '14, voice) tied for second place for The American Prize in Vocal Performance—The Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award, in the college/ university opera division.

Photo courtesy of Blake Zolfo

Photo courtesy of Amos Oliver III

Kevin Connor (B.F.A. '15, musical theater) was appointed managing director of Houses on the Moon Theater Company, October 2016.

Blake Zolfo (B.F.A. '15, musical theater) is featured on the original cast album of the recent off-Broadway production, Kid Victory, fall 2017. (PICTURED ABOVE)

Photo courtesy of Gabriella Reyes de Ramirez

Robin Aren (B.F.A. '15, dance) had her choreography performed at Battery Park Dance Festival in New York City, August 2016.

Gabriella Reyes de Ramírez (B.M. '16, voice) was selected as a finalist for this year's Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Reyes performed in the 2017 Grand Finals Concert, March 2017.

(PICTURED ABOVE) Taylor Rodman (B.F.A. '16, dance) joined Dark Circles Contemporary Dance in Dallas, Texas, summer 2016.

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Help us identify these photos.

In celebration of Boston Conservatory's 150th anniversary in 2017, we've compiled unlabeled photos from our archives in hopes that you can help us identify the subjects and the years. Learn more on page 4.