Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Berklee Honors Usher, Roberta Flack, and Sona Jobarteh at Commencement

14/05/2023

Berklee Honors Usher, Roberta Flack, and Sona Jobarteh at Commencement The legendary artists received honorary doctorates for their immeasurable impact on music, activism, and popular culture.

By

Tori Donahue

May 13, 2023

Usher addresses the crowd at Berklee College of Musics commencement ceremony.

Image by Michael D. Spencer

Berklee Professor Gabrielle Goodman speaks at the commencement ceremony.

Image by Michael D. Spencer

More than 1,230 graduates from 62 countries and all 50 U.S. states came together to celebrate at the Agganis Arena in Boston for Berklee College of Music's 2023 commencement ceremony. Berklee Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs David Bogen presented an honorary doctorate to recording artist and icon Usher at the ceremony, while Berklee Professor Gabrielle Goodman accepted Roberta Flack's degree on behalf of the acclaimed singer-songwriter. Gambian kora master Sona Jobarteh received her honorary doctorate at the inauguration of President Erica Muhl in April and delivered her remarks to the graduating class in a video.

The annual commencement concert took place the previous evening at Agganis Arena and featured many of Berklee's most talented graduating students paying tribute to the honorees by performing their music, including Usher's smash hits Yeah!, U Remind Me, and Burn, among others. The artist joined students on stage at the conclusion of the concert to sing the final notes of Without You. Flack's tribute included Killing Me Softly, Feel Like Making Love, and her iconic cover of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Students performed a panoply of Jobarteh's music, concluding with Musolou, where she joined performers on stage to sing and play the kora.

Usher joins students on stage at the commencement concert.

Image by Elizabeth Friar

Global megastar and eight-time Grammy Award winner Usher was recognized for his tremendous artistry and profound influence on R&B music. He was also lauded for his role as a devout humanitarian, raising tens of millions of dollars for various causes and uplifting youth via his New Look Foundation, which has provided opportunities for young people in underserved communities since 1999.

My goal as an artist has always been to inspire people to make a positive impact through my music, to make you feel something, and last night I felt proud of the legacy that has been built and that we're building together as artists, said Usher reflecting on the tribute concert from the previous evening. He continued by urging the graduating class to keep running past that finish line [of your goals], break the barriers, identify that spark in you that motivates you to keep going, and don't expect everything to be perfect and run smoothly. Take what you've learned here [at Berklee], go into the world, and make great things.

Known for her timeless vocals and legendary songwriting abilities, Flack was hailed as one of the greatest songstresses of our time, unparalleled in her ability to tell a story through her music. She was honored for enriching the lives of others through her humanitarian outreach with the nonprofit Feed the Children and the Roberta Flack School of Music in the Bronx, and her role as author of The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music, her debut children's book with Tonya Bolden.

Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Use what you have and share yourselves with the world.

- Roberta Flack

Goodman, who toured and performed with Flack and considers her a musical mother, read remarks from the artist at the ceremony. I have always said that love is a song. Music crosses all boundaries, and in this time of great division and fear we need to reach for what connects us all, now more than ever, she said.

Sona Jobarteh performs at the commencement concert.

Image by Elizabeth Friar

In her remarks, Flack mentioned her deep love of education, from her time as a teacher to her role as a mentor for so many young artists. To this day, I continue to be a student of music; it finds me everywhere-in the darkest of moments, in the times of fear, and the depths of doubt it lifts me higher than the sky, warming my heart and opening my soul to love, to dream, and to try. Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Use what you have and share yourselves with the world.

A musician and educator from the Gambia, Jobarteh was born into one of the five principal griot families in West Africa, a hereditary tradition that dates back over 700 years to the Mali Empire. She is the first woman within this ancient tradition to master the kora, a 21-string instrument from the Mandeng regions. Jobarteh delivered the keynote address at the inauguration of President Erica Muhl in April, where she was recognized for her boundary-breaking role in Gambian music as well as for her work as an educator and activist.

In video remarks to the graduating class, Jobarteh described the adversity she faced in her career as a musician in a male-dominated tradition and as a woman of color studying in the United Kingdom. Always keep your eyes on the ultimate goals, and regard all stages of life as just another chapter to help you get closer to those goals, she said. I call on young people to always remind themselves that they have the power to effect real change on society, especially young people who have chosen to pursue music...Each of you have purpose in this life, just as your music also has a purpose.

With your music or talent, do something that makes life a little sweeter for someone you don't know.

- Ron Mahdi, professor of ensembles

This year's faculty speech was delivered by Ron Mahdi, professor of ensembles. A Berklee alumnus himself, Mahdi looked back on how artistic struggles made him a better person, which he imparted onto graduates in his remarks.
LINK: https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/berklee-honors-usher-roberta-...
See more stories from berklee

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

25/04/2026

Mediagenix Sweeps 2026 NAB Awards With Wins for Product of the Year and Best of Show for Scheduling Optimization

Mediagenix Sweeps 2026 NAB Awards With Wins for Product of the Year and Best of ...

25/04/2026

SCHOEPS Microphones Announces Desert Island Boom Set for NAB 2026

SCHOEPS Microphones Announces Desert Island Boom Set for NAB 2026 Brie Clayton April 24, 2026 0 Comments Compact modular set ideal for location sound ...

25/04/2026

Berklee Africana Studies Hosts Gospel Extravaganza 2026

Berklee Africana Studies Hosts Gospel Extravaganza 2026 The Signature Series event will honor three new inductees to the Berklee Gospel Hall of Fame and celeb...

25/04/2026

Student Spotlight: Siva

Student Spotlight: Siva Maja Gierszewska, who performs under the artist name Siva, shares how she found her songwriting confidence at Berklee. April 24, 2026...

25/04/2026

WNBA Offers Free Streaming of all Preseason Games

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

24/04/2026

Churchill Downs Inc. Acquires Preakness Stakes for $85 Million

Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property of the Preakness Stakes and Black-Eyed Susan Stakes from 1/...

24/04/2026

Inter Miami CF Opens Miami Freedom Park with 26 LED Displays From Daktronics, DCL

Daktronics has partnered with DCL (Design Communications, Ltd.) to design, manuf...

24/04/2026

NAB 2026: Chyron Launches PRIME Translate for Multi-Language Live Production

Chyron has announced PRIME Translate, a workflow solution that produces live content simultaneously in multiple languages within the PRIME platform. The system ...

24/04/2026

Eutelsat Supports Co-op Cable in Launching Expanded DTH Offering Across the Caribbean

Eutelsat has announced a new partnership with Co-op Cable, introducing an expand...

24/04/2026

Pitch Dublin Deploys Panasonic Laser LCD Projectors for Indoor Golf and Hospitality Venue

Pitch Dublin, an indoor golf simulation and hospitality venue on Dawson Street i...

24/04/2026

G&D and VuWall Appoint Mirko Aubel as EVP Sales EMEA/APAC, Eric Hnique as Chief Revenue Officer

G&D and VuWall have announced two senior leadership appointments, effective Apri...

24/04/2026

Victory+ Becomes Exclusive Local Streaming Home for Minnesota Lynx

Victory , the free sports streaming service from A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC), has announced a multi-year agreement to become the exclusive local streaming ho...

24/04/2026

SVG Students To Watch: Jason Weitz, University of South Florida

The former business major from Massachusetts has found his home in graphics and bug operation while contributing to live ESPN productions In the live-sports-vi...

24/04/2026

MASN and Spectrum Announce Multiyear Carriage Agreement

The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and Spectrum have announced a multiyear carriage agreement making MASN available to Spectrum customers in areas of southe...

24/04/2026

Case Study: 4Wall Entertainment Powers 2026 NFL Draft on NETGEAR AV Line Network

The NFL Draft is rebuilt from the ground up in a new city every year. The three-day fan festival is expected to draw 500,000 or more attendees, with millions fo...

24/04/2026

Diversified Continues Live Sports Expansion, Supports Mobile TV Group Ops Center Buildout

Diversified has continued expansion of its sports and media capabilities to supp...

24/04/2026

NAB Show 2026 Is In The Books! Our Coverage Continues at SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog

NAB reports that the 2026 NAB Show wrapped with more than 58,000 registered atte...

24/04/2026

NAB 2026: Clear-Com Announces Updates to Arcadia Central Station and Eclipse HX with New ARC Architecture

Clear-Com has announced significant updates to its Arcadia Central Station and E...

24/04/2026

NAB Reports 58,000+ Registered Attendees at 2026 NAB Show, Up From 2025 but Down From 2024

NAB reports that the 2026 NAB Show wrapped with more than 58,000 registered atte...

24/04/2026

Ratings Roundup: NHL Sees Best Regular Season Average Since 2013; CBS Sports Secures Most Watched Final Round Masters

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...

24/04/2026

Bleacher Reports Live NFL Draft Stream Builds on Record-Breaking Audience With Player-Driven, Interactive Production

B/R NFL Draft Live' refines the digital giant's productions around footb...

24/04/2026

Sportradar Report: The Viewing Experience Is the Product' as Sports Media Enters New Era of Personalization, Data-Driven Storytelling

Study highlights five pillars shaping modern fan engagement as broadcasters reth...

24/04/2026

ESPN/ABC, NFL Network Prepare for Record-Setting NFL Draft Presentation From Pittsburgh

The 2026 event, the first Draft with NFL Network under the ESPN umbrella, will b...

24/04/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 12: Detroit Lions' Jessica Shlemon - Motor City Football at Ford Field

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

24/04/2026

Van Wagner Brings Warhol-Inspired Pop Art Vision to NFL Draft Videoboard Production

Integral to the Draft production for three almost decades, the company tells the...

24/04/2026

Film Festival Watch: 17 Sundance Institute-Supported Films to Screen at the 2026 Hot Docs Festival

Championing documentaries that illuminate and expand the artform is at the core ...

24/04/2026

Audiobooks About Climate, Conservation, and the Stories They Inspire

Earth Day is a chance to reflect on our connection to the natural world. To mark the 57th Earth Day on April 22, Spotify's editors have pulled together a co...

24/04/2026

From Page to Stage: Spotify Celebrates Storytelling at the LA Times Festival of Books

This past weekend, Spotify was at the heart of the largest literary event in the...

24/04/2026

What 20 Years of Spotify Data Reveals About Our Listeners

All data tells a story, and in our case, that story is written by you. To celebrate 20 years of Spotify, we're sharing bite sized moments that capture how t...

24/04/2026

The Look Behind the Sound

Over the past 20 years, Spotify's look and feel has evolved with the way people use our platform, while ensuring we preserve an intuitive, personal, and fam...

24/04/2026

Spotify at 20: The Most Streamed Music, Podcasts, and Audiobooks of All Time

It's been 20 years since Spotify began, but the real story is what the world chose to play. For the first time, we're unveiling the most streamed artist...

24/04/2026

Spotify Brings Music and Podcast Recommendations to Claude

Whether you're relaxing at home or on the go, Spotify is there across more than 2,000 devices, ready with your favorites or something new to discover. Now, ...

24/04/2026

Nintendo and Spotify Bring Nostalgia with New Super Mario Galaxy' Playlists

Nintendo and Spotify are welcoming fans to the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary and the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with new playlists and a speci...

24/04/2026

AES Show moves to Nashville

30 October - 1 November 2026 The Audio Engineering Society (AES) have announced that the AES Show 2026 will be held on Halloween weekend - Friday 30 October...

24/04/2026

Sennheiser introduce the HD 480 Pro

New closed-back design promises honest' low end Sennheiser have just announced the launch of a new pair of flagship closed-back headphones which they s...

24/04/2026

Cre8audio unveil the Programm

Powerful 12-channel hardware sequencer announced Cre8audio are renowned for their innovative, and often visually striking designs, and although their latest...

24/04/2026

IK Multimedia ARC X Immersive arrives

Room correction now supports full 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos setups The software element of IK Multimedia's room-correction system has just received an update th...

24/04/2026

VSL announce free Big Bang Orchestra expansions

New content for BBO Tutti & BBO Riffs VSL have recently introduced some new free content expansions for two of their most popular Big Bang Orchestra Packs: ...

24/04/2026

Rohde & Schwarz to highlight its R&S EVSD1000 UAV-based navigation analyzer at IFIS 2026

Rohde & Schwarz to highlight its R&S EVSD1000 UAV-based navigation analyzer at I...

24/04/2026

Call for NFVF funding applications to attend Film Festivals and Markets taking place from 01 30 June 2026

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...

24/04/2026

Andrea Riseborough & Ashley Walters To Star In ITV Thriller First Woman' About Race To Find Missing Astronaut

ITV's Director of Drama Polly Hill has commissioned six part propulsive, lun...

24/04/2026

NASA Receives L3Harris' Modified Next-Generation Research Aircraft

The NASA 777 aircraft departs the L3Harris facility in Waco, Texas....

24/04/2026

L3Harris Closes $1B Investment from Department of War in Missile Solutions Business

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has closed a $1 b...