A Time to Be Heard: What Performers Can Expect This Fall

One of the biggest questions to emerge out of Berklee's decision to open this fall in a hybrid on-campus/online model has been But what does this model mean for those studying performance? Many students are wondering how to safely share equipment and space, while others question whether a

virtual ensemble can achieve the same results as its physical counterpart.

Ron Savage, dean of the Professional Performance Division, weighed in on the topic during a recent webinar about what to expect, from both practical and artistic perspectives. We want you to be safe, we want you to be engaged, and we want this to be productive, leading to your long-term success as artists, he said, addressing logistics as well as the bigger picture of pursuing art during a global pandemic.

What to Expect on Campus and Virtually

Have Questions About the Fall?

Read our FAQs to get answers regarding registration, housing, academics, and more. The current plan is to offer a majority of ensembles in person, which immediately sets the fall semester apart from the emergency quarantine situation in the spring. That said, there will be modifications to allow for optimal safety. Ensembles meeting on campus will be limited to an average of five to six people, and there will be more rooms available to them. The division is also purchasing additional instruments to help reduce the amount of equipment sharing among students.

Ensembles that involve vocalists and brass and wind instrumentalists are being redesigned, given the higher risk of germ spread with these types of performances. Vocal ensembles will be held virtually, but depending on the severity of the pandemic come fall, it may be possible to consider having one or two vocalists join ensembles on campus.

We're doing this because we can't afford to wait to hear your voices. Our society is dependent on it.

-Ron Savage, dean of the Professional Performance Division

Similarly, private instruction will happen largely online, given the volume of lessons. We hold 4,000 lessons a week, so a physical rotation isn't feasible, Savage said, noting that the division is exploring options for students in their first and last semesters to have a number of in-person private lessons.

Artists Voice Matter More Than Ever The logistical plans support the college's commitment to creating a safe and generative space for student performers, who, according to Savage, we need now more than ever. This is your time to be heard, he said to Berklee students watching the webinar. We don't want the pandemic to slow down the development of [your] voices. We're doing everything in our purview to make sure you have the tools and the skills to speak from your most authentic voice.

This is not a throwaway semester to us, Savage continued, emphasizing that Berklees concern goes far beyond enrollment. We're doing this because we can't afford to wait to hear your voices. Our society is dependent on it.

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