
You can find the phrase in the first line of Berklee's About page. It's our handshake: Hi, we're Berklee, a contemporary music and performing arts school. This is how it's been since Lawrence Berk founded the school more than 70 years ago with jazz at the center of the curriculum. We were the first music school to take seriously the idea that music could be taught effectively through popular contemporary styles, and that idea continues to stand behind so much of what Berklee does.
But what do we mean when we talk about contemporary music these days? Certainly jazz is no longer the only contemporary music a student can learn here-not by a long shot. On the other hand, we can't mean contemporary as opposed to classical music-not while students at both Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee continue to explore, compose, and perform exciting and fresh work in the classical idiom (though we could spend many more words on the equally fraught question: What is classical music?). Instead, contemporary music, for Berklee, has more to do with an approach to music than it does with any particular type of music.
To better understand this approach, we spoke to members from across the Berklee community about what making and teaching contemporary music means to them in their particular disciplines. In the process, a few key features emerged that seem to be central to how many at Berklee approach the study of contemporary music:
Relevance According to vibraphonist Victor Mendoza, contemporary music is, simply put, music performed and created with what is rhythmically, harmonically, and texturally current. For Mendoza, a professor at Berklee's campus in Valencia, Spain, this means that his job is to teach students to employ current musical vocabularies-jazz, Pan-American rhythms, and global harmonies performed on acoustic, ethnic, and electronic instruments. But he also stresses that great music and musicians will always be relevant-that theres a timeless quality to compositions by musicians from Bach and Duke Ellington to Tito Puente, Stevie Wonder, and the Rolling Stones.
Great music and musicians will always be relevant.
-Victor Mendoza
Grammy-winning saxophonist Tia Fuller, a professor in the Ensemble Department, defines the work of contemporary music as excellence, influence, and exploration of what we know as popular music today-discovering the fundamental components of today's music through cultural influences, social constructs, and cross-pollination of genres. For Fuller, who has performed with Beyonc and directs ensembles focusing on the music of artists including Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Christian McBride, and Micki Miller, working in contemporary music is not just about what popular music today sounds like, but about each artist's pursuit of excellence and integrity through their performances.
Jonathan Bailey Holland, chair of composition, contemporary music, and core studies at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, describes the relationship between a classical grounding and a contemporary context at the Conservatory: The Conservatory curriculum is rooted in the western classical tradition, but our students are vibrant creative artists living today and responding to their current condition. For these students, creating and performing contemporary music means that their work is focused on communicating from an informed perspective, with a voice that is relevant to, and shaped by, the world in which they live. It also means that they each define exactly what this means on an individual basis. There are as many ways to be musically relevant as there are musicians creating and performing work today.
For some, including Annette Philip, artistic director of the Berklee India Exchange, relevance has a social dimension, as well: Contemporary, for us, means not only seeking to push boundaries musically, but also bringing topics that are socially relevant into our artistic choices. We strive to create concept-driven, socially conscious productions that embrace the integration of multidisciplinary art forms, perspectives, and cultural influences.
Cross-Pollination As the leader of an institute that works to strengthen creative exchange between Berklee and India, Philip also understands the ever-broadening interplay between cultures, genres, styles, and technologies. India is home to one of the oldest music traditions of the world. It is also one of the most diverse countries not only in terms of the number of languages, dance forms, or religions that flourish there, but also from a geographical, social, economic, and ethnicity point of view, she explains. Contemporary Indian music today is a confluence of Indian classical or folk idioms combined with nuances of pop, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, rock, and myriad other genres. This cross-pollination is on full display in Berklee India Exchange's most popular video on Berklees YouTube channel, Jiya Jale, which reinterprets a classic A. R. Rahman song with a string quintet, jazz influences, reharms, and what the students fondly call a dirty loops section.
Watch the Berklee Indian Ensemble perform Jiya Jale :
Video of A. R. Rahman, "Jiya Jale" (Dil Se) : Berklee Indian Ensemble (Cover)
Javier Lim n, artistic director of the Mediterranean Music Institute, sees a similar benefit in the vast array of styles on display across campus. Berklee is the world reference institution for contemporary music because of its balance between roots from all around the world and new vangard styles and techniques, he says. Only at Berklee can you find flamenco, jazz, blues, electronic dance, Latin, Middle Eastern music, Sephardic songs...all together played by young, great musicians.
Of course, part of what makes contemporary musics cross-pollination so successful at a place like Berklee is that the
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
04/07/2025
By Lucy Spicer
Editor's note: We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robe...
04/07/2025
The Summer Reading Challenge has inspired children across the U.K. to embrace a ...
04/07/2025
Introducing CVP Auctions: Trusted Tech, At Auction-Only Prices
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
A New Destination for Film and Broadcast Gear at U...
04/07/2025
Unveiling China's Ecological Wonders with URSA Mini Pro 12K
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Nature Documentaries Freeze Epic Momentsin Extrem...
04/07/2025
Create Any Planet in After Effects
Graham Quince July 4, 2025
0 Comments
The Advanced 3D renderer in After Effects makes it really easy to import 3D o...
04/07/2025
Custom Gradient Colorize for Resolve Fusion
Simon Ubsdell July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Digging into the theory of the gradient colorize process to build ou...
04/07/2025
Watching live sports on TV these days is a delicate balance for broadcasters how much information is too much?...
04/07/2025
WASHINGTON As Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr works to achieve his goal of a very busy, productive summer at the FCC, the agency has rele...
04/07/2025
Other World Computing Launches OWC Guardian USB-C Hardware-Encrypted Portable SS...
04/07/2025
CANAL Brings MotoGP to Vision Pro with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive
Brie Clayton July 3, 2025
0 Comments
Experience MotoGP like never before as CA...
04/07/2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Watch the trailer here https://youtu.be/Od5WpvWmDr8
Further...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
To achieve a true level of decisive overmatch, communication systems must be as ...
03/07/2025
The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Ray Hopkins, president of U.S. distribution at Paramount Global, to its board of directors....
03/07/2025
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. In his first major policy speech, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr outlined his Build America Agenda for the agency'...
03/07/2025
As the industry is making a major push to transition to NextGen TV and develop new businesses that will fund the next generation of broadcasting, TV Tech's ...
03/07/2025
Despite enabling its subscribers to watch films and TV shows in the highest possible resolution, Netflix has revealed it is taking things old school with the in...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON In response to news that Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, Democrats and other administra...
03/07/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications today launched RefSuite for professional sports workflows....
03/07/2025
WEITERSTADT, Germany LYNX Technik, a provider of modular signal processing solutions, has announced that founder and longtime CEO Winfried Deckelmann is steppin...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON Representatives from six trade groups representing tech, pay TV, broadband, LPTV and other sectors recently met with Federal Communications Commissio...
03/07/2025
PLYMOUTH, Wis. Dan Whealy has acquired Heartland Video Systems and will be its new owner and president, the systems integrator said....
03/07/2025
Acclaimed filmmaker, educator, and industry veteran Jay Holben has released his most ambitious work to date: The Director's Guide to Everything a sweeping...
03/07/2025
For Los Angeles-based photographer Scout Pruski, documenting the annual Dyke Day LA is a way to honor and give back to the city's legacy queer community and...
03/07/2025
Modular, Travel-Ready Solution Matthews Studio Equipment launches the new Chimera V-Flat Panel Frame Kit, the lightweight and modular, ultra-durable alternativ...
03/07/2025
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the release of Dalet Flex 2025.6 LTS (long-term support), introdu...
03/07/2025
Lightware's LARA Wizard makes it quicker and easier than ever to set up audio-visual (AV) room automation and control configurations, ensuring anyone, from ...
03/07/2025
Alfalite, the only European manufacturer of LED screens, has obtained both the NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act)...
03/07/2025
nxtedition is implementing a new solution for WIN Network, based in its headquarters in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The nxtedition integrated platfo...
03/07/2025
ORS Group and Insys Video Technologies today announce the launch of a new joint brand identity: Big Blue Marble. The move reflects the evolution of a long-stand...
03/07/2025
Evergent, a global leader in customer lifecycle management and monetization solutions for subscription-based businesses, today announced the successful results ...
03/07/2025
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions today announces an executive leadership transition, effective July 1, 2025. Markus Motzko has been...
03/07/2025
Chaos Releases V-Ray for Blender
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Production-Proven Renderer V-Ray Arrives Natively in Blender for the First Time;...
03/07/2025
Calvin University Adds Blackmagic Replay to Broadcasts and Streams
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Replay workflow joins 14 Blackmagic Design cam...
03/07/2025
Berklee's Gospel Performance Program Welcomes Jonathan Nelson as the Herb Al...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get Ready for Even More Action! Netflix Has Confirmed the Thir...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the thir...
03/07/2025
In today's fragmented media landscape, advertisers expect more than just reach - they want seamless cross-platform campaigns that deliver measurable results...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
03/07/2025
The forecast this month is showing a 100% chance of epic gaming. Catch the scorching lineup of 20 titles coming to the cloud, which gamers can play whether indo...
02/07/2025
Hege Wik and Odin appear in FOLKTALES by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institut...