Berklee Alumni Affairs Launches Second Season of Pass the Mic Podcast The new season will feature Mark Kelley of the Roots, Broadway veteran Natalie Toro, and former president of Fox Music Robert Kraft.
By
Kelly Wong
September 27, 2024
L-R: Alumni Achievement Award recipients Mark Kelley BM '03, Natalie Toro BFA '86, and Gustavo Borner '89 will be featured guests in season two of Pass the Mic.
Image by Mike Spencer
The award-winning podcast from Berklees Alumni Affairs team, Pass the Mic, has returned for a second season to discuss various aspects of the music industry with many of the college's most accomplished alumni. The first episode of the new season will be available on all podcast streaming platforms on Friday, September 27.
The first episode of the new season features Mark Kelley BM '03, bassist for the iconic hip-hop band the Roots, also known as the house band for NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since 2011. Throughout his career, Kelley has collaborated with a host of Grammy Award-winning singers, songwriters, and producers, including DAngelo-contributing to the neo-soul artist's album Black Messiah-as well as with Grammy Award-winning musicians John Legend and Erykah Badu. In the episode, Kelley will discuss finding one's artistic vision and staying true to one's creative endeavors.
Other guests featured in the upcoming season include: vocalist and composer Mariya Ksondzyk '17, '19; jazz guitarist Jan Esbra BM '16; emerging singer-songwriter Mel Fine BM '23; Grammy-nominated artist and philanthropist Chandrika Tandon; Argentine producer and sound engineer Gustavo Borner BM '89; R&B singer-songwriter Kevin Ross '09; Broadway veteran Natalie Toro BFA '86; and Robert Kraft, a composer and former president of Fox Music. Guests will explore topics such as using music to help those in correctional facilities, life after graduation and career opportunities, music education in different countries, and the real challenges within the music industry.
Hosted by Alumni Affairs staff members Padriac Farma, associate director of digital engagement, and Jaquel Eley, assistant director of digital engagement, Pass the Mic aims to showcase a diverse group of industry professionals from Berklee's community, offering alumni a platform to share their valuable insights and expertise in a comfortable setting. The first season of the podcast featured several globally accomplished alumni such as acclaimed film, TV, and video game composer Pinar Toprak BM '00 and Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Tommy Torres BM '93.
To recommend a Berklee alum for the podcast, please reach out to Alumni Affairs at alumniaffairs@berklee.edu.
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
Image by Clem Onojeghuo
Independent Music Platform Ampwall Launches Signups Built by and for DIY musicians, the Bandcamp alternative is now open to the public.
On Tour with Shaboozey's Drummer Darren Poindexter The LA-based drummer reflects on how his Berklee training shaped his career and prepared him for touring with the country-rap star.
L-R: Alumni Achievement Award recipients Mark Kelley BM '03, Natalie Toro BFA '86, and Gustavo Borner '89 will be featured guests in season two of Pass the Mic.
Image by Mike Spencer
Berklee Alumni Affairs Launches Second Season of Pass the Mic Podcast The new season will feature Mark Kelley of the Roots, Broadway veteran Natalie Toro, and former president of Fox Music Robert Kraft.
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...
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...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
Berklee Alumni Affairs Launches Second Season of Pass the Mic Podcast The new season will feature Mark Kelley of the Roots, Broadway veteran Natalie Toro, and former president of Fox Music Robert Kraft.
