Alumnus William Cepeda Earns Honorary Doctorate

By Office of Communications

April 3, 2013

William Cepeda 85

Photo by J. Colon

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William Cepeda (left), just after receiving his degree from Berklee president Roger H. Brown (center) and trustee Luis Alvarez 83.

Photo by J. Colon

William Cepeda holds his double-barreled horn.

Photo by J. Colon

During last months Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival, iconic Puerto Rican musician and alumnus William Cepeda 85 not only electrified the crowd with his big band, he received a Berklee honorary doctorate in recognition of his long history of deep contributions and innovations in music. It might have been the first time a newly crowned Berklee honorary degree recipient played a set of tunes while still wearing the full doctors gown.

The Grammy-nominated artist and composer received the degree from Berklee president Roger H. Brown while trustee and Berklee alumnus Luis Alvarez 83 joined them on stage.

"William is an amazing artist," said Brown. "He performed and played with Dizzy Gillespie and with Miriam Makeba before returning to Puerto Rico to invest deeply in that islands musical traditions. He created a style of music he calls Afro-Rican jazz and has composed, performed, and produced in this style for bands, ensembles, and orchestras.He is a quadruple threat: a player, composer, pioneer of a new style, and ethnomusicologist," added Brown, referring to Cepedas comprehensivedocumentary on the four major styles of indigenous music in Puerto Rico: jbaro, plena, bomba, and danza.

"In the 30 years that I have had the privilege of calling William my friend, Ive celebrated his immense musical talent, but more importantly, his humanity, sensibility, and ability to bring peace to everyone around him," said Alvarez, who founded the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival.

Cepeda was a percussionist who took up trombone in his teens, studied at the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico, and then graduated from Berklee with a bachelors degree and later pursued a masters. Visit the video section of Cepedas website to delve into his music.

LINK:	http://www.berklee.edu/news/alumnus-william-cepeda-earns-honorary-doct...
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