NEC Commencement Program 2025

154th Commencement Exercises

Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Jordan Hall Boston, Massachusetts

Processional 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.

CANDIDATES FOR THE DEGREE BACHELOR OF MUSIC Mark Abramovski Aislin Alancheril Isabel Rose Atkinson Mattias Bengtsson Stellan Connelly Bettany Emma Boyd Emelia Marie Boydstun Torres Nadav Brenner

π Morgan Brookman Kai Burns

π Isabella Butler

Jazz Studies–Performance Vocal Performance Double Bass Performance and Music History A French Horn Performance Composition A Violin Performance Vocal Performance Jazz Studies–Composition A Contemporary Musical Arts A Jazz Studies–Performance A 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

π Miruna Victoria Eynon

Contemporary Improvisation A Cello Performance A

Michael Fisher

Violin Performance A

Gabriella Teresa Foster

Violin Performance

Solomon Ge

Piano Performance A

π 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 Peter Jablokow

π Shaylen Paige Joos

Viola Performance Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A Harp Performance A

Michelle Jung

Cello Performance

Asher Monroe Kalfus

Cello Performance

E Olga Kaminsky Yoomin Kang † Theresa Rachel Katz Jonah Kernis

Violin Performance Vocal Performance Violin Performance A Cello Performance

Dohyun Kim

Composition

Jaehan Kim

Trombone Performance

Sophia Knappe E Molly Knight † Jonah Glenn Kreitner

Cello Performance A Vocal Performance Jazz Studies–Performance

Eunha Kwon T Jordan Chun Kwan Lau Skyler Lim Tiffany Lin Kangwei Lu T Cooper Malanowski Noah Mark

Viola Performance Composition A Contemporary Improvisation A Piano Performance Bassoon Performance Jazz Studies–Performance A Jazz Studies–Performance A

Carson James Meritt

Bassoon Performance

Matthew Mihalko

Trumpet Performance A

E Hannah Michelle Miller Yechan Min

Vocal Performance 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 π Katherine Purcell Daniela Louise Pyne

π Philip McGinty Rawlinson Alexandra Richmond

Vocal Performance A Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A Vocal Performance A Viola Performance with a Liberal Arts Minor A 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 † π Lily Pauline Stern

Oboe Performance A

Nicolette Sullivan-Cozza * KeXin Tian Anatol Janos Toth Chiung-Han Irving Tsai † Cole Turkel Ru-Yao Van der Ploeg

Cello Performance A Viola Performance A Piano Performance A Violin Performance A Violin Performance Clarinet Performance A 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 Xiaoran Xu Changrong Yan

Vocal Performance A French Horn Performance Contemporary Improvisation

Yan Yan

Composition

En-Je Jackson Yang

Composition

* Rohan Zakharia * Maiyu Zhang * Max Zhenren Zhao

Percussion Performance A Contemporary Improvisation Cello Performance

CANDIDATES FOR THE GRADUATE PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE Sofía Beirán Guzón (BM Hochschule Music & Theater-Felix Mendelssohn)

Contemporary Musical Arts

Donovan Bown Oboe Performance (BM Indiana University Bloomington, MM New England Conservatory of Music) Caleb Christiansen (BM Northwestern University, MM Rice University)

Trombone Performance

Matthew Heldt Bassoon Performance (BM Depaul University, MM New England Conservatory of Music) Inés Issel Burzyńska (BM, MM Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia)

Violin Performance

Evan Judson (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Bassoon Performance

Shalun Li (BM, MM, GD New England Conservatory of Music) Mina Nystad (BM, Berklee College of Music)

Collaborative Piano 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 (BM University of North Carolina School for Arts, MM New England Conservatory of Music)

Contemporary Musical Arts

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 (BM University of Iowa, MM New England Conservatory of Music)

Cello Performance

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 (BA Wuhan Conservatory, MA Guangxi Arts University, MM New England Conservatory of Music)

Composition

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)

Piano Performance A

Kai-Min Chang (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music)

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) Grace Clarke (BM Boston University)

π James Gerard Connolly (BM Berklee College of Music)

Viola Performance A French Horn Performance A Jazz Studies–Composition A

Shengyu Cui (BA China Conservatory)

Flute Performance

π Matthew Duc Dao (BM University of Massachusetts Amherst) Samuel Christopher Eric Davies (BA, BM Oberlin College and Conservatory)

Trumpet Performance A Jazz Studies–Performance

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) Jyun-Rong Ho (BM National Taipei University of Education)

Bassoon Performance A 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)

π Samuel Kerr (BM University of Toronto) π Zachary Charles Keum (BM Northwestern University)

Piano Performance Contemporary Musical Arts Violin Performance Composition A Cello Performance A

Dongyoung Kim (BM The Juilliard School)

Piano Performance

‡ π Isaiah John Kim (AB Harvard University)

Cello Performance A

E Jisoo Kim (BM Cleveland Institute of Music)

Violin Performance A

Jusun Kim (BM Korea National University of Arts)

π Wanjoong Kim (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

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) π Phoebe Kuan (BM Eastman School of Music) π E Trygve Lewis Lebakken (BS University of Wisconsin Madison) ‡ Cherin Lee (AB Harvard University)

Composition A Clarinet Performance A Composition A 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)

Jazz Studies–Performance

Longfei Li (BM Berklee College of Music)

Jazz Studies–Performance A

* π Ssu-Hsuan Li (BM New England Conservatory of Music) Wenzhe Li (BM Berklee College of Music)

π E Yunqi Li (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Collaborative Piano A Contemporary Musical Arts A 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)

π Emily Joy Lin (BM East Carolina University)

Violin Performance Violin Performance A

Jiaxin Lin (BM Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music)

Violin Performance A

Rachel Ming-Yen Lin (BM Manhattan School of Music)

Cello Performance

E Yeh-Chun Lin (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Viola Performance A

Anne Liu (BA Columbia University)

Piano Performance A

Bairun Liu (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance

π Peikun Liu (BFA Shanghai Conservatory of Music) Yuwei Luo (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)

Jazz Studies–Performance A Jazz Studies–Performance A

E Zijian Luo 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)

Cello Performance Vocal Performance Jazz Studies–Performance A Violin Performance A Percussion Performance Flute Performance A

‡ π Ishaan Sahil Modi (AB Harvard University)

French Horn Performance A

Lenka Molčányiová (BA Conservatorio di Musica ‘Luigi Cherubini’)

Jazz Studies–Performance

Seongwoo Moon (BM Seoul National University)

π Jillian Lindsey Moore (BME Baylor University) Gabriel Alexander Nieves (BM University of North Texas) Scott Odou (BM University of Nevada Las Vegas)

Piano Performance A Jazz Studies–Performance A Jazz Studies–Performance A Trombone Performance A

Subin Oh (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Flute Performance

Isaac Pagano-Toub (BM Eastman School of Music)

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)

Vocal Performance A

Ioan-Octavian Pîrlea (BM Royal Academy of Music)

Violin Performance A

π Alexis Reese (BM Stetson University) π Tianyi Ren (BA University of Chicago)

Vocal Performance A 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)

π Jakob Lukasz Schoenfeld (BM The Juilliard School)

Collaborative Piano A Percussion Performance A

Yonatan Senik (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

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) π Noah Silverman (BM University of Delaware)

Composition A French Horn Performance A

Johnston Alexander Bennett Smith (BM Vanderbilt University)

Cello Performance

Zeyu Song (BFA Harbin Conservatory of Music)

Vocal Performance

* ‡ Clayton Stephenson (AB Harvard University)

Piano Performance

Lara Amber Süer (BM Arizona State University)

Vocal Performance

Hechen Sun (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Cello Performance A

Xiaoshu Tang (BFA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance

Chasity Thompson (BM Univ Kentucky Lexington) E Ourania Toli (BM Berklee College of Music)

Clarinet Performance Jazz Studies–Performance A

Joseph Anthony Vasconi (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

π Lucas Craig Vogelman (BM Rice University)

Piano Performance A

Percussion Performance A

E Ranfei Wang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance A

π Xize Wang “Xiaofan Wang” (BM Berklee College of Music) π Kailiang Wei (BA China Conservatory)

Vocal Performance A

Composition

Matthew Wessner (BM Florida State University)

Jazz Studies–Performance A

π Connor Willits (BM Florida State University)

Percussion Performance A

Lena Ying-Ting Wong (BA Hong Kong Baptist University)

Choral Conducting A

Huiqun Wu (BA Nanjing Normal University)

Piano Performance

Natasha Hou Wu (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance

Suowei Wu (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)

Vocal Performance

Dongchen Xu (BA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)

Vocal Performance

π E Samuel Xu (BM Eastman School of Music)

Piano Performance A

Hengzuo Yan (BA Shanghai Conservatory of Music)

Vocal Performance

Yi-I Stephanie Yang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Cello Performance A

Michael Yang-Wierenga (BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music) Contemporary Musical Arts

Antian Ye (BA China Conservatory)

Piano Performance A

Ziang Yin (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance A

John Hendrick Youmans (BM Syracuse University)

Choral Conducting A

Shenze Zhang (BM Temple University)

Composition

Yukun Zhang (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Guitar Performance

Honghao Zheng (BFA Xinghai Conservatory of Music)

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)

Cello Performance

Zhuoya Zhu (BM New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance A

CANDIDATES FOR THE ARTIST DIPLOMA Josie Aurelia Larsen Opera Studies (BM Brigham Young University, MM New England Conservatory of Music ) Evren Ozel (BM, MM New England Conservatory of Music )

Piano Performance

Changyong Shin (BM Curtis Institute of Music, MM The Julliard School)

Piano Performance

Yutong Sun (BM, MM, GD New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance

CANDIDATES 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) Patrick M’Gonigle (BA University of Victoria, BM Berklee College of Music, MM New England Conservatory of Music)

Collaborative Piano Contemporary Improvisation

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 (BM Mannes School of Music–The New School, MM New England Conservatory of Music)

Piano Performance

* 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.

CANDIDATES FOR THE HONORARY DEGREE DOCTOR OF MUSIC

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.