Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Jordan Hall
Boston, Massachusetts
Greetings from the Board of Trustees
Thomas W. Blumenthal, Chair
Remarks by the President
Andrea Kalyn
Greetings from the Alumni Network
Brian McCreath ’90 MM
Announcement of the Tourjée Alumni Scholarship Award
Student Speaker
Tianyi “Timothy” Ren ’25 MM
Announcement of the Donald Martino Award for Excellence in Composition
Announcement of the Peter Lyman Row Global Musicianship Award
Announcement of the Award for Excellence in the Liberal Arts
Announcement of the Entrepreneurial Musicianship Spark Award
Recognition of Faculty
Announcement of the Louis and Adrienne Krasner Teaching Excellence Award
Presentation of Presidential Commendations
Laurence Lesser ’01 hon. DM, President Emeritus
Marylen R. Sternweiler*
Musical Interlude
Prelude from Partita No.3 in E Major for Solo Violin, BWV 1006, by J.S. Bach
Joshua Brown ’22, ’24 MM, ’26 AD
Conferring of Honorary Degrees
Commencement Address
Chad Smith ’95 NEC/Tufts,’98 MM, ’25 hon. DM
Presentation of the George Whitefield Chadwick Medal
Conferring of Bachelor of Music Degrees
Presentation of the Gunther Schuller Medal
Awarding of Graduate Performance Certificates
Awarding of Graduate Diplomas
Conferring of Master of Music Degrees
Awarding of Artist Diplomas
Conferring of Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees
Recessional
* Deceased
Assistive listening devices are available for all Jordan Hall concerts; contact the head usher or house manager on duty or inquire at the Coat Room.
π
CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE BACHELOR OF MUSIC
Mark Abramovski Jazz Studies–Performance
Aislin Alancheril Vocal Performance
Isabel Rose Atkinson
Mattias Bengtsson
Double Bass Performance and Music History A
French Horn Performance
Stellan Connelly Bettany Composition A
Emma Boyd Violin Performance
Emelia Marie Boydstun Torres Vocal Performance
Nadav Brenner Jazz Studies–Composition A
π Morgan Brookman Contemporary Musical Arts A
Kai Burns Jazz Studies–Performance A
π Isabella Butler Percussion Performance A
E Sarah Elizabeth Campbell Violin Performance A
Yen-Hsiang Darwin Chang Violin Performance A
Yuhsi Chang Oboe Performance
π Kristy Chen Violin Performance A
Kyu Yeon Cho Clarinet Performance A
E Aiden Coleman Jazz Studies–Performance A
Jamie Eliot Contemporary Improvisation A
π Miruna Victoria Eynon Cello Performance A
Michael Fisher Violin Performance A
Gabriella Teresa Foster Violin Performance
Solomon Ge Piano Performance A
E Aviana Gedler Jazz Studies–Performance A
Agne Giedraityte Contemporary Musical Arts
Seth Goldman Bassoon Performance
Itay Goldstein Jazz Studies–Performance
Siyuan Guan Composition
Evan Haskin Jazz Studies–Performance
Cameron Hayden Composition A
Colby Heimburger
Double Bass Performance with a Music Theory Minor A
* Blake Hartley Hetherington Vocal Performance A
* Daeun Hong Viola Performance
Jowen Hsu Viola Performance
Peter Jablokow
Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A
π Shaylen Paige Joos Harp Performance A
Michelle Jung Cello Performance
Asher Monroe Kalfus Cello Performance
E Olga Kaminsky Violin Performance
Yoomin Kang Vocal Performance
† Theresa Rachel Katz Violin Performance A
Jonah Kernis Cello Performance
Dohyun Kim Composition
Jaehan Kim Trombone Performance
Sophia Knappe Cello Performance A
E Molly Knight Vocal Performance
† Jonah Glenn Kreitner
Jazz Studies–Performance
*
Eunha Kwon Viola Performance
T Jordan Chun Kwan Lau Composition A
Skyler Lim Contemporary Improvisation A
Tiffany Lin Piano Performance
Kangwei Lu Bassoon Performance
T Cooper Malanowski Jazz Studies–Performance A
Noah Mark Jazz Studies–Performance A
Carson James Meritt Bassoon Performance
Matthew Mihalko Trumpet Performance A
E Hannah Michelle Miller Vocal Performance
Yechan Min Vocal Performance A
Sianna Monti Vocal Performance A
π Daniel P. Oslin Piano Performance A
Junhyung Park Flute Performance
Alyssa Peterson Double Bass Performance
π Anna Poltronieri Tang Vocal Performance A
π Katherine Purcell Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A
Daniela Louise Pyne Vocal Performance A
π Philip McGinty Rawlinson Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A
Alexandra Richmond Trumpet Performance and Music History A
Anna Ridenour Flute Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A
Andrew Salaru Bassoon Performance A
Sydney Scarlett Violin Performance
Yide Shi Piano Performance
π Hayden Charles Silvester Tuba Performance A
E Caroline Smoak Violin Performance A
π Victoria Solís Alvarado Oboe Performance A
†
π Lily Pauline Stern Cello Performance A
Nicolette Sullivan-Cozza Viola Performance A
* KeXin Tian Piano Performance A
Anatol Janos Toth Violin Performance A
Chiung-Han Irving Tsai Violin Performance
† Cole Turkel Clarinet Performance A
Ru-Yao Van der Ploeg Viola Performance
Jake Walters Jazz Studies–Performance A
Haowen Wang Guitar Performance
Jialu Wang Bassoon Performance
Yiting Wang Violin Performance A
Jiujiu Wu Guitar Performance A
Yumeng Xing Vocal Performance A
Xiaoran Xu French Horn Performance
Changrong Yan Contemporary Improvisation
Yan Yan Composition
En-Je Jackson Yang Composition
* Rohan Zakharia Percussion Performance A
* Maiyu Zhang Contemporary Improvisation
* Max Zhenren Zhao Cello Performance
CANDIDATES FOR THE GRADUATE PERFORMANCE
CERTIFICATE
Sofía Beirán Guzón Contemporary Musical Arts (BM Hochschule Music & Theater-Felix Mendelssohn)
Donovan Bown Oboe Performance (BM Indiana University Bloomington, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Caleb Christiansen Trombone Performance (BM Northwestern University, MM Rice University)
Matthew Heldt Bassoon Performance (BM Depaul University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Inés Issel Burzyńska Violin Performance (BM, MM Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia)
Evan Judson (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Bassoon Performance
Shalun Li (BM, MM, GD New England Conservatory of Music) Collaborative Piano
Mina Nystad (BM, Berklee College of Music) Jazz Studies–Performance
Arisa Onoda Piano Performance (BM, MA, Royal Academy of Music, GD New England Conservatory of Music)
Sage Niko Silé (BFA, Carnegie Mellon University) French Horn Performance
Ho Hsuan Wang Collaborative Piano (BM California State University Fullerton, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Mitsuru Yonezaki Violin Performance (BM, MM The Juilliard School, GD New England Conservatory of Music)
CANDIDATES FOR THE GRADUATE DIPLOMA
Carlos Arcos Vocal Performance (BM Queens College New York, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Solomon Caldwell Contemporary Musical Arts (BM University of North Carolina School for Arts, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Aidan Thomas Garrison (BM, MM New England Conservatory of Music) Viola Performance
Gwendolyn Hope Goble Oboe Performance (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Taewan Gu Piano Performance (BM Korea National University of Arts, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
E Joy Lee Hsieh Viola Performance (BM University of Georgia Athens, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Bennet Huang Cello Performance (BM University of Iowa, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Thomas Ka Yeung Hung Cello Performance (BM Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, MM Yale University)
Hannah Chaewon Kim (BM, MM New England Conservatory of Music) Violin Performance
Jungyoon Kim (MM Mannes School of Music–The New School) Flute Performance
Kyuree Kim Piano Performance (BM Seoul National University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
You Bin Grace Lee (BM, MM New England Conservatory of Music) Piano Performance
Pualina Lim Mei En Collaborative Piano (BM National University of Singapore, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Kenneth “KJ” McDonald (BM, MM The Juilliard School) Violin Performance
Kelley Osterberg Oboe Performance (BM Northwestern University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Hannah Park Violin Performance (BM Eastman School of Music, MM San Francisco Conservatory of Music)
* Sachin Shukla Viola Performance (BM Northwestern University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
E Man To Tsang Cello Performance (BM University of Cincinnati, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
* Adria Ye (BM, MM The Juilliard School)
Piano Performance
Shiwen Zhong Composition (BA Wuhan Conservatory, MA Guangxi Arts University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF MUSIC
π Inácia Afonso (BFA Central Conservatory of Music) Viola Performance A
Hidemi Akaiwa Contemporary Musical Arts A (BA Doshisha University Institute for the Liberal Arts, UD Berklee College Music)
* Maklyn Paige Baley (BS University of Oregon) Vocal Performance A
π Gustavo Andres Barreda (BM Florida State University) Percussion Performance A Misha Bjerken (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Double Bass Performance A
* Joshua Brown (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Violin Performance A
André Alcantara Bruni (BM Faculdade de Musica Souza Lima) Jazz Studies–Composition A
π David Carreon (BM University of Sydney) Violin Performance A
Hans Chan (BA, BM Eastman School of Music)
Kai-Min Chang (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music)
Piano Performance A
Piano Performance A
Anne Chao (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Flute Performance A
ChiJui “William” Chen (BM National University of Singapore ) Viola Performance
* Joy Chen (BM University of Sydney) Piano Performance A
π Ko-Te Chen (BM National Taiwan Normal University) Trumpet Performance A
Yini Chen (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music) Composition A
Yun Ke Chen (BA Soochow University) Composition A
Zhikang Chen (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)
Saxophone Performance
Hayoung Choi (BM Mercer University Macon) Violin Performance A
Jihyeuk Choi (BM Peabody Conservatory of Music)
Cello Performance
π John Clark (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Viola Performance A
Grace Clarke (BM Boston University) French Horn Performance A
π James Gerard Connolly (BM Berklee College of Music) Jazz Studies–Composition A
Shengyu Cui (BA China Conservatory) Flute Performance
π Matthew Duc Dao (BM University of Massachusetts Amherst) Trumpet Performance A
Samuel Christopher Eric Davies Jazz Studies–Performance (BA, BM Oberlin College and Conservatory)
Jordan Rives Fajardo-Bird (BM University of Utah) Percussion Performance A
π Nyoman Shanti Fowler-Puja (BA Vassar College) Vocal Performance A
Zachary Fung (BM Eastman School of Music) Cello Performance
Ying Gao (BM Berklee College of Music) Composition
Dermot Haven Gleeson (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Guitar Performance A
Bailee Green (BM University of Southern Mississippi) Choral Conducting A
* Nicholas Hammel (BM University of Texas Austin) Violin Performance A
Yujin Han (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Piano Performance A
Abigail Heyrich (BA, BM Oberlin College and Conservatory) Bassoon Performance A
Jyun-Rong Ho (BM National Taipei University of Education) Composition A
Abigail Elise Hope-Hull (BM Indiana University Bloomington) Oboe Performance A
Pin-Han Huang (BM National Taiwan Normal University) Collaborative Piano
Po-Sung Huang Viola Performance (BFA National Kaohsiung Normal University, MM University of Missouri Kansas City)
Nickolas Isherwood (BM Berklee College of Music)
Yejin Jang (BM University of Seoul)
π Jin Jeong (BM Kookmin University)
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Vocal Performance
Piano Performance A
Qianfeng Jing (BA Central Conservatory of Music)
Beth Ann Jones (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music)
Haekyung Ju (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Piano Performance
Contemporary Musical Arts
Violin Performance
π Samuel Kerr (BM University of Toronto) Composition A
π Zachary Charles Keum (BM Northwestern University)
Dongyoung Kim (BM The Juilliard School)
‡
π Isaiah John Kim (AB Harvard University)
E Jisoo Kim (BM Cleveland Institute of Music)
Jusun Kim (BM Korea National University of Arts)
π Wanjoong Kim (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Cello Performance A
Piano Performance
Cello Performance A
Violin Performance A
Violin Performance A
Piano Performance A
Charles Alexander Kind (BA University of Iowa) Jazz Studies–Performance
Benedict Hui Yang Koh (BM Berklee College of Music) Jazz Studies–Composition
π Yu Kong (BM University Of Auckland) Composition A
π Phoebe Kuan (BM Eastman School of Music) Clarinet Performance A
π
E Trygve Lewis Lebakken (BS University of Wisconsin Madison) Composition A
‡ Cherin Lee (AB Harvard University)
Violin Performance
π Hyeabin Lee (AA, BM Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts) Jazz Studies–Performance A
Ethan Lehman (BM, BME Indiana University Bloomington) Trombone Performance
Alexander Benjamin Lenser (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Oboe Performance A
Che Li (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Piano Performance
Dongyang Li (BA China Conservatory) Vocal Performance
Guantian Li (BA Central Conservatory of Music) Composition
Junfei Li (BA, Yunnan Arts University)
Longfei Li (BM Berklee College of Music)
*
Jazz Studies–Performance
Jazz Studies–Performance A
π Ssu-Hsuan Li (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Collaborative Piano A
Wenzhe Li (BM Berklee College of Music) Contemporary Musical Arts A
π E Yunqi Li (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Composition A
Tzu-Tung Liao (BM Manhattan School of Music) Violin Performance A
Xinyi Liao (BA Xinghai Conservatory of Music) Saxophone Performance A
Yeji Lim (BM Seoul National University) Violin Performance
π Emily Joy Lin (BM East Carolina University) Violin Performance A
Jiaxin Lin (BM Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music) Violin Performance A
Rachel Ming-Yen Lin (BM Manhattan School of Music)
E Yeh-Chun Lin (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Anne Liu (BA Columbia University)
Bairun Liu (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
π Peikun Liu (BFA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)
Yuwei Luo (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)
E Zijian Luo
Cello Performance
Viola Performance A
Piano Performance A
Piano Performance
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Jazz Studies–Performance A (BS Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture)
Shijie Ma (BM Manhattan School of Music)
Morgan Fox Mastrangelo (BM Northwestern University)
Daniel Rohan Mayer (BA Bowdoin College)
Sarah Ruth McGuire (BM Vanderbilt University)
Liam George McManus (BM Eastman School of Music)
Yechan Min (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
‡
π Ishaan Sahil Modi (AB Harvard University)
Lenka Molčányiová
(BA Conservatorio di Musica ‘Luigi Cherubini’)
Cello Performance
Vocal Performance
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Violin Performance A
Percussion Performance
Flute Performance A
French Horn Performance A
Jazz Studies–Performance
Seongwoo Moon (BM Seoul National University)
π Jillian Lindsey Moore (BME Baylor University)
Piano Performance A
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Gabriel Alexander Nieves (BM University of North Texas) Jazz Studies–Performance A
Scott Odou (BM University of Nevada Las Vegas) Trombone Performance A
Subin Oh (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Isaac Pagano-Toub (BM Eastman School of Music)
Flute Performance
Cello Performance A
π David Paligora Trombone Performance A (BM, BS University of Auckland, BM Victoria University of Wellington)
Christian Elsilio Paniagua (BM Boston Conservatory at Berklee) Oboe Performance
Claire Park (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Cello Performance A
Melissa Pereyra (BM University of Central Florida) Vocal Performance
Sydney Anne Pexton (BM Utah Valley State College)
Ioan-Octavian Pîrlea (BM Royal Academy of Music)
π Alexis Reese (BM Stetson University)
Vocal Performance A
Violin Performance A
Vocal Performance A
π Tianyi Ren (BA University of Chicago) Orchestral Conducting A
Hyunjin Roh (BM Seoul National University)
Piano Performance
Tomer Rozen (BM Tel Aviv University) Composition A
Julian Au Sanita (BM Ithaca College) Collaborative Piano
Rafe Lei Schaberg (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Collaborative Piano A
π Jakob Lukasz Schoenfeld (BM The Juilliard School)
Yonatan Senik (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Percussion Performance A
Piano Performance A
Maureen Devin Sheehan (BA, BM Oberlin College and Conservatory) Viola Performance A
π Jiaruo Aria Shi (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Composition A
π Noah Silverman (BM University of Delaware)
French Horn Performance A
Johnston Alexander Bennett Smith (BM Vanderbilt University) Cello Performance
Zeyu Song (BFA Harbin Conservatory of Music)
* ‡ Clayton Stephenson (AB Harvard University)
Lara Amber Süer (BM Arizona State University)
Hechen Sun (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Xiaoshu Tang (BFA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)
Chasity Thompson (BM Univ Kentucky Lexington)
E Ourania Toli (BM Berklee College of Music)
Vocal Performance
Piano Performance
Vocal Performance
Cello Performance A
Piano Performance
Clarinet Performance
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Joseph Anthony Vasconi (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
π Lucas Craig Vogelman (BM Rice University)
E Ranfei Wang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Piano Performance A
Percussion Performance A
Piano Performance A
π Xize Wang “Xiaofan Wang” (BM Berklee College of Music) Composition
π Kailiang Wei (BA China Conservatory)
Matthew Wessner (BM Florida State University)
π Connor Willits (BM Florida State University)
Lena Ying-Ting Wong (BA Hong Kong Baptist University)
Huiqun Wu (BA Nanjing Normal University)
Natasha Hou Wu (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music)
Suowei Wu (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)
Dongchen Xu (BA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)
π E Samuel Xu (BM Eastman School of Music)
Vocal Performance A
Jazz Studies–Performance A
Percussion Performance A
Choral Conducting A
Piano Performance
Piano Performance
Vocal Performance
Vocal Performance
Piano Performance A Hengzuo Yan (BA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)
Yi-I Stephanie Yang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Vocal Performance
Cello Performance A
Michael Yang-Wierenga (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music) Contemporary Musical Arts
Antian Ye (BA China Conservatory)
Ziang Yin (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
John Hendrick Youmans (BM Syracuse University)
Piano Performance A
Piano Performance A
Choral Conducting A Shenze Zhang (BM Temple University) Composition
Yukun Zhang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
Honghao Zheng (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)
Guitar Performance
Choral Conducting A Ting Zhou (BA Nanjing Normal University) Contemporary Musical Arts A
Qianbin Zhu (BFA Shanghai Conservatory of Music) French Horn Performance
Xinyue Zhu (BM The Juilliard School)
Zhuoya Zhu (BM New England Conservatory of Music)
CANDIDATES FOR THE ARTIST DIPLOMA
Josie Aurelia Larsen
Cello Performance
Piano Performance A
Opera Studies (BM Brigham Young University, MM New England Conservatory of Music )
Evren Ozel (BM, MM New England Conservatory of Music )
Changyong Shin
Piano Performance
Piano Performance (BM Curtis Institute of Music, MM The Julliard School)
Yutong Sun (BM, MM, GD New England Conservatory of Music)
CANDIDATES
Piano Performance
FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
Michael Adkins (MM Loyola University New Orleans) Jazz Studies–Performance
Marie-Elise Boyer (MM Guildhall School of Music and Drama) Collaborative Piano
Caio Carvalho Afiune Jazz Studies–Performance (BM Faculdade Santa Marcelina, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Yi-Chen Chang (MM New England Conservatory of Music) Composition
Megan Lacy Dillon Saxophone Performance (BM Texas Tech University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
* Jingsi Lu (BM, MM, GD New England Conservatory of Music) Collaborative Piano
Patrick M’Gonigle Contemporary Improvisation (BA University of Victoria, BM Berklee College of Music, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Kristofer Monson Jazz Studies–Performance (BS University of Virginia, MM Manhattan School of Music)
Mark Gordon Shilansky Jazz Studies–Performance (BA University New Hampshire Durham, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
Sophia Anna Szokolay Violin Performance (BM New England Conservatory of Music, MM The Juilliard School)
Ziang Xu Piano Performance (BM Mannes School of Music–The New School, MM New England Conservatory of Music)
* Degree awarded December 2024
† New England Conservatory/Tufts University Double Degree Program
‡ New England Conservatory/Harvard University Double Degree Program
π Pi Kappa Lambda nominee
Academic Honors (A) will be awarded to candidates who maintain honors-level cumulative grade point averages and are approved by Faculty Council.
(E) Awarded Teaching Artistry and Music Education Concentration (T) Awarded Music Technology Concentration
This listing includes students who were eligible to participate in this ceremony as of May 11, 2025. Students who did not pass departmental or program examinations may participate in the Commencement ceremony, but will not receive their diplomas. Those who complete their final requirements after Commencement will subsequently receive diplomas signifying graduation in December 2025.
ALUMNI MARSHALS
Ellen McLain ’75, ’77 MM
Dr. Mark Tse ’15 MM
STUDENT MARSHALS
Isis Bermudez Rivera ’26 MM
Mark Valdes ’26 MM
PROCESSIONAL PERFORMED BY
Mark Tipton ’25 DMA, trumpet
Gabriel Nieves ’25 MM, clarinet
Aiden Coleman ’25, trombone
Carlo Kind ’25 MM, drums
RECESSIONAL PERFORMED BY
Maureen Sheehan ’25 MM, fiddle
Bug Jaffe ’28, banjo
ALMA VATYA ’26, guitar
FACULTY
On the occasion of New England Conservatory’s 154th Commencement, the Board of Trustees recognizes the following faculty:
faculty emeritus honorees 2025
William B. Drury ’95 MM
Randall Hodgkinson ’76, ’80 MM, ’82 AD
faculty celebrating their 50th year of service to New England Conservatory
Laurence Lesser ’01 hon. DM
faculty celebrating their 40th year of service to New England Conservatory
Dominique F. Eade ’82, ’89 AD
faculty celebrating their 30th year of service to New England Conservatory
David M. Zoffer ’96 MM
faculty celebrating their 20th year of service to New England Conservatory
Bruce Brubaker
faculty celebrating their 15th year of service to New England Conservatory
Eli Epstein
Erica J. Washburn
faculty celebrating their 10th year of service to New England Conservatory
Matthew Cron
Soovin Kim
Meng-Chieh Liu
retiring from the faculty
William B. Drury ’95 MM
Randall Hodgkinson ’76, ’80 MM, ’82 AD
THE TOURJÉE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Tourjée Alumni Scholarship Award is given each year to an alumnus/a or graduating student to pursue graduate work at New England Conservatory. The recipient must demonstrate outstanding musicianship, scholarship, and enterprise, as well as potential for success in graduate study and the field of music.
THE DONALD MARTINO AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMPOSITION
The Donald Martino Award for Excellence in Composition was established in his name by family and friends. The award, to be given to outstanding composition students at New England Conservatory, commemorates Martino’s important achievements as a composer and his impact on students and colleagues at NEC.
THE PETER LYMAN ROW GLOBAL MUSICIANSHIP AWARD
The Peter Lyman Row Global Musicianship Award is a cash prize established by the Row family in honor of sitarist Peter Lyman Row, who served as faculty member, dean and provost of the conservatory between 1974 and 2018. The award is approved by Faculty Council and is presented at commencement to a degree or diploma student, undergraduate or graduate, who demonstrates excellence in his/her/their primary area of study — performance, composition or scholarship — as well as a deep commitment to and in-depth study of a world music tradition, embodying Peter Row’s breadth of interests.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE LIBERAL ARTS
The Award for Excellence in the Liberal Arts is given to a senior who completes outstanding work across multiple disciplines in the Liberal Arts and who serves the NEC community through extracurricular activities that extend beyond their musical studies.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MUSICIANSHIP SPARK AWARD
The Entrepreneurial Musicianship Spark Award is given in consultation with the Office of Advancement and Engagement. The award recognizes and supports outgoing students who have a strong entrepreneurial mindset. The recipients can apply their award and advising sessions to advance a project, build an online portfolio, or seek out additional training.
THE LOUIS AND ADRIENNE KRASNER TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Louis and Adrienne Krasner Award for teaching excellence commemorates two of the outstanding musicians and teachers of the twentieth century, whom we remember with undying admiration and affection for their service to New England Conservatory’s College and Schools of Preparatory and Continuing Education.
THE GEORGE WHITEFIELD CHADWICK MEDAL
The George Whitefield Chadwick Medal is awarded each year to the senior whose entire New England Conservatory record of achievement has been most distinguished in the candidate’s major field, supplementary studies, extracurricular activities, and good citizenship. George Whitefield Chadwick was director of NEC from 1897 to 1930.
THE GUNTHER SCHULLER MEDAL
The Gunther Schuller Medal is awarded to a graduate student distinguished by having made extraordinary contributions to the life of New England Conservatory. Composer, music historian, and educator Gunther Schuller served as president of NEC from 1967 to 1977.
Marvin E. Gilmore, Jr. ’51, ’24 hon. DM Awarded in October 2024
Marvin Gilmore is a humanitarian, entrepreneur, political advisor, honored World War II veteran, musician, and family man. He was a co-founder of the Unity Bank and Trust Company in Roxbury in the late ’60s, the first Black-owned and operated commercial bank in Boston, and later served on the Low Income Housing Commission. For 42 years, Gilmore served as president and CEO of The Community Development Corporation of Boston. He was a primary force in Boston’s most crucial urban development projects in the Southwest Corridor, Roxbury, and the South End.
Gilmore is a veteran of the battalion that stormed Normandy, Utah, and Omaha beaches on D -Day, 1944. On January 15, 2010, by a decree signed by the president of the French Republic, Marvin E. Gilmore Jr. was named “Chevalier” of The Legion of Honor. On May 20, 2010, he received the Governor’s Citation from Governor Deval Patrick.
Gilmore earned a bachelor’s degree in percussion from New England Conservatory. For more than 35 years, he owned and operated the legendary Cambridge music venue The Western Front. Today, at 100 years young, Gilmore is president and co-founder of the “new” Western Front, a minority-owned and operated cannabis dispensary.
Conrad Pope ’73, ’25 hon. DM Presented by Michael Gandolfi ’79, ’81 MM
Conrad Pope is a composer, orchestrator, conductor, and one of Hollywood’s most respected and sought-after musicians. Over a career that has included work on more than 100 films, he has collaborated with such legendary composers as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, and Howard Shore, contributing to scores for Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, The Hobbit, The Matrix, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, among other movies.
Pope’s original music has been featured in such films as My Week with Marilyn, Tim’s Vermeer, and The Sound of Violet. His concert works have been performed internationally and he has received commissions from the Hartt School, Spokane Symphony, and the Deutsches SymphonieOrchester Berlin. He taught a master class at NEC in March 2024, the first visiting artist hosted with support from the John and Arlene Heiss Master Class Fund.
A graduate of Princeton University and New England Conservatory, where he received the George Chadwick Medal, Pope is a Fulbright Scholar and the recipient of numerous honors, including ASMAC’s Golden Score Award and the Prague Composer Summit’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Grammy-winning composer and arranger Nan Schwartz.
Wendy Shattuck ’75, ’25 hon. DM
Presented by Bradley Williams
Wendy Shattuck is a longtime supporter of New England Conservatory, where she earned her bachelor of music in 1975. A gifted vocalist, Shattuck earned her master of music degree from Boston University in 1980 and enjoyed a vibrant career performing in Boston and beyond.
Shattuck has spent her life championing the arts. As a member of NEC’s Board of Trustees for more than 10 years and a current life trustee, her insight and wisdom have shaped the Conservatory’s future. Through her generosity, the Wendy Shattuck ’75 Presidential Scholarship for Vocal Studies and the Wendy Shattuck Chair in Voice were established to support students and faculty in perpetuity, and the multi-purpose Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre has been home to unforgettable performances showcasing NEC students’ talent and creativity since 2017.
Beyond her contributions to NEC, Shattuck has had an indelible impact on many of Boston’s most treasured cultural institutions, serving on the boards of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. In 2022, Boston Magazine honored Shattuck by naming her one of the city’s “Most Influential Bostonians.”
Chad Smith ’95 NEC/Tufts, ’98 MM, ’25 hon. DM
Presented by Michael Meraw
Over 20 years, Chad Smith has dramatically altered the landscape of classical music and music education. Through curated festivals and programs that unite disparate forms of music and art, he has set a new and aspirational standard for what an orchestra should be in the 21st century. Smith is the Julian and Eunice Cohen President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He previously served as president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
A former fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, Smith is dedicated to training and supporting the next generation of artists and cultivating an inquisitive audience. In 2024, Smith and the BSO announced the Boston Symphony Orchestra Humanities Institute to advance this goal. Smith and the BSO have also expanded the Susan W. and Stephen D. Paine Resident Fellows Program, which offers professional experience to musicians from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Smith’s tenure in Boston builds on his two decades of experience at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where he worked alongside music directors Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel to expand the orchestra’s programming and create such community education initiatives such as the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles.
A graduate of Tufts University and a double graduate of New England Conservatory, Smith has served as an NEC trustee since 2017.
Michael Tilson Thomas ’25 hon. DM Awarded in May 2025
Michael Tilson Thomas is music director laureate of the San Francisco Symphony, conductor laureate of the London Symphony Orchestra, co-founder and artistic director laureate of the New World Symphony, and distinguished professor of music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is a 12-time Grammy Award winner whose discography includes more than 120 recordings.
In his mid-20s, he became assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, later serving as principal guest conductor. He subsequently served as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1987, Tilson Thomas co-founded the New World Symphony, a postgraduate orchestral academy in Miami Beach. He became music director of the San Francisco Symphony in 1995, ushering in a period of significant growth and heightened international recognition for the orchestra.
Throughout his career, Tilson Thomas has been an active composer. Three major recording projects were released in 2024 in celebration of his 80th birthday. He is an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France, a member of the American Academies of Arts & Sciences and Arts & Letters, a National Medal of Arts recipient, and a 2019 Kennedy Center Honoree.
The Honorable Mayor Michelle Wu ’25 hon. DM Presented by Bruce Brubaker
Michelle Wu, who began playing piano at age 4, is the first woman and first person of color to be elected Mayor of Boston. She has performed at the North End Music & Performing Arts Center’s 20th Anniversary and the Boston Children’s Chorus’s MLK Tribute Concert, accompanied the Embrace Choir at Embrace Boston’s inaugural Juneteenth Concert, and performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among other appearances.
Mayor Wu’s mission to make Boston a home for everyone has led to the creation of Gold Hall, the first permanent space for the Black arts institution Castle of our Skins; the preservation of the Humphreys Streets Studios in Dorchester and Charlestown Rehearsal Studios; and the transformation of the former Beasley Media Group building into rehearsal rooms and recording studios for displaced artists and musicians.
Under Mayor Wu’s leadership, the city has invested millions to support musical programming, from the BAMS Fest in Franklin Park to free events on City Hall Plaza — including the GLD FSTVL celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
As part of the city’s Connect, Learn, Explore program, Boston has partnered with such institutions as the BSO, Community Music Center of Boston, MGM Music Hall, and New England Conservatory to ensure that every student in the Boston Public Schools has cost-free opportunities to learn an instrument and cultivate a love of the arts.