Dear friends, As 2021 comes to a close, I am inspired by our community’s ability to persevere, progress, and thrive as we navigate change with both intention and imagination. This fall, our campus sprang back to life with in-person learning and dazzling performances. Our stages lit up once again with our students’ artistry, our campus bustled with activity, and, most of all, we were fully present together as a community. We welcomed Erica Muhl as Berklee’s new president—the first woman leader of the institution—and it has been truly energizing to work with her in charting the future of Berklee. Although the last two years have brought profound challenges, for Boston Conservatory, they also brought incredible innovation. In this issue of STAGES, we look at how Boston Conservatory is reinventing the conservatory model through bold, unprecedented academic innovation. From groundbreaking new programs and globally driven partnerships to technology initiatives and new online courses, innovation is the engine propelling Boston Conservatory as the leading institution for performing arts education. I am thrilled to share with you what I view as the foundation of our academic innovation plan, as outlined in Boston Conservatory’s Strategic Direction for 2020–2025: the Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BCB) Method, the Conservatory’s signature educational approach, which empowers students with the key future-proof skills that equip them to excel in any career they choose, through creativity and fearless learning. As recent global crises make clear, confronting a world defined by constant change with confidence, adaptability, and creativity has never been more critical, and the BCB Method is designed to prepare our students to do just that. As you’ll see in this issue, by continually reevaluating and challenging norms and definitions around what a conservatory education is, Boston Conservatory is placing our students at the forefront of innovation—not only in terms of our educational model but in the dance, music, and theater industries themselves. Just as we encourage our students to be agents of change in the world, Boston Conservatory is embracing its own reinvention to help them actualize the future they imagine. Sincerely,
Cathy Young, Senior Vice President and Executive Director Boston Conservatory at Berklee