
Rodney Alejandro Named Dean of Professional Writing and Music Technology Alejandro, Berklees current Songwriting Department chair and an alumnus of the college, is the first person of both Latino and African American heritage to serve in the role.
By
Media Relations Staff
September 13, 2024
Image by Kenneth Adams
Berklee College of Music has named Rodney Alejandro BM '97 the new dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division, starting September 23. He will succeed Matthew Nicholl, who has led the division since 2019.
Alejandro has chaired the Songwriting Department at Berklee since 2022, following two years as an associate professor at the college. Under his leadership, the songwriting curriculum has evolved to keep pace with rapid shifts in the music industry. He has also emphasized expanding career paths for songwriting majors and developed writing camps that connect students with influential publishers and record labels.
At the age of 19, Alejandro launched his professional career, signing his first major label deal shortly after graduating high school. In the more than three decades since, he has worked in the studio and performed on stage with many of the biggest names in music, including Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Quincy Jones '51, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Luis Fonsi, Selena, will.i.am, Destiny's Child, and the Script, an Irish rock band with whom he toured internationally as keyboardist and musical director.
Alejandro has contributed as a songwriter, producer, composer, arranger, engineer, and instrumentalist to several Grammy- and Latin Grammy-nominated projects from artists such as the Temptations and Olga Ta on. He also worked on the Kumbia Kings album 4, which won Latin Pop Album of the Year at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards. He was the main title composer/producer for the Golden Globe-winning drama series The Shield, and his music can also be heard on Emmy-winning Smallville, as well as long-running programs like Extra and Access Hollywood.
I am excited to announce that Berklee alumnus Rodney Alejandro has been appointed as the new dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division, said Ron Savage, vice president and executive director, Berklee College of Music. An accomplished songwriter and composer for TV and film, Rodney brings leadership and professional skills that have been honed by years of success in the music industry. His deep industry connections and innovative approach to music education will lead us into this new chapter for the division.
I am honored to have been chosen as the dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division at Berklee College of Music, said Alejandro. As the first person of Latino and African American heritage to hold this position, I am excited to partner with the divisions chairs, faculty, staff, and student body. Our collective efforts will focus on furthering the convergence of music and technology, cultivating a culture of innovation and growth within this evolving field, and reinforcing Berklees position as a leader in contemporary music education.
Alejandro graduated with summa cum laude honors as a double major in contemporary writing and production and music production and engineering. He also holds a master's degree in entertainment business from Full Sail University, where he graduated as valedictorian.
As a professional educator, Alejandro has given speeches and master classes on performance, songwriting, and music production at various colleges worldwide, and he has served on the boards of nonprofit arts and education organizations in both the United States and Mexico. In 2006, Berklee honored him as the college's alumnus of the year, and in 2011, he was recognized as music education advocate of the year by the Recording Academy's Texas Chapter, where he continues to serve on the board and as the co-chair of the Songwriters and Composers Wing.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Jim Lucchese
Image by Kelly Davidson
Jim Lucchese Named Berklee's Fifth President A 20-year music industry veteran and a committed artist advocate with deep Berklee roots, Lucchese sets the tone for a new era at the institution.
Latest
Old Days: The Tribute to Chicago
Image courtesy of the artist
Chicago's Danny Seraphine to Perform with Berklee Student Ensemble The Grammy Award-winning drummer will also lead a drum clinic during his visit to the Boston campus.
Five Berklee alumni took home Emmy Awards this year.
Five Berklee Alumni Win Emmy Awards The recipients were recognized for their work on the acclaimed programs The Bear, Sho gun, and Billy Joel: The 100th-Live at Madison Square Garden.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Center Stage Production of Jesus Christ Superstar Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's acclaimed musical will run September 26 to 29 at Boston Conservatory Theater.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering many of the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced the launch of In-Scene Advertising, a new monetiza...
05/06/2026
Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...