Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Jim Lucchese Named Berklee's Fifth President

18/07/2024

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.

July 18, 2024

By

Tori Donahue

Jim Lucchese

Image by Kelly Davidson

Berklee has announced that Jim Lucchese, a pioneering music industry executive and a dedicated artist advocate will become its fifth president, effective January 1, 2025. Lucchese brings to this role 20 years of experience innovating artist-focused services. A Boston-born musician who has served Berklee in many advisory roles over the course of his career, Lucchese is uniquely positioned to lead Berklee in providing unmatched learning experiences for todays students and realizing the institution's vision to build the future of arts education.

It is an immense honor to become a part of the Berklee community, an institution that means so much to me personally and has been a singularly positive force for creativity around the world, said Lucchese. I look forward to working with this amazingly talented and diverse community-students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters. I am eager to learn from their experiences and expertise across such a wide range of creative disciplines, from music education, dance, and theater to management, production, performance, music therapy, and more. All of these talents and perspectives are central as we uphold Berklee's mission, honoring the artistic traditions of the African diaspora and centering diversity in all its forms.

Lucchese began his career as an attorney representing artists across a range of ventures. In 2007, he became the CEO of The Echo Nest, a musician-founded start-up that aimed to improve music discovery, making it as easy to discover an unsigned artist on the other side of the globe as it is to discover a major-label pop star. The Echo Nest was acquired by Spotify in 2014, where Lucchese later founded the Creator team, building products and services directly for musicians, including the popular Spotify for Artists. In 2019, Lucchese was named CEO of Sofar Sounds, a global live music community that has curated over 30,000 live performances across 78 countries. As he did at Spotify, Lucchese focused at Sofar on artist services, launching a new Artist Services division and acquiring the company Seated to provide artists with tools to control their fan data and take ownership of their fan relationships.

A drummer since high school, Lucchese is an active member of the Boston music scene and often collaborates with Berklee musicians. His relationship with Berklee began in 1989 when he participated in the school's five-week summer performance program, an experience he says transformed both his thinking and playing.

Jim's success as an entrepreneur has stemmed from his ability to recognize shifts in the music industry and engage in collaborations to shape those changes, always demonstrating profound respect for artists, said Martin J. Mannion, chair of Berklee's Board of Trustees. He is a highly regarded and empathetic leader with a proven record of building career-advancing services for musicians and performing artists. Berklee trustee Bill Kaiser, who led the search effort, echoed this sentiment: We were struck by Jim's humility, his deep connection to Boston's music community, and his commitment to the success of artists.

Berklee's presidential search process was grounded in an extensive series of community listening sessions designed to provide a fuller understanding of the qualities needed in its next leader. From these sessions, the profile emerged of a collaborative leader and organizer with an instinctual understanding of creative industry trends and a proven commitment to providing equitable access to education and opportunities. This profile informed the process that led the Presidential Search Committee to Lucchese.

Testimonials

Read some of the many heartfelt reflections from the community about Luccheses leadership.

Jim Lucchese is in the most unique position to advocate for music and the people that make it, said Matt Pincus, music publisher and investor. As a musician, he understands the challenge inherent in creation, audience building, and establishing a durable career as an artist. As one of the leading executives in music technology, he has a cutting-edge view of the opportunities and challenges innovation will bring to music as we enter a critical time of profound innovation. I am thrilled that Jim is the one to lead Berklee as its next president.

Jim's appointment marks a transformative moment for Berklee. Having worked closely with him, I've witnessed firsthand how his curiosity, entrepreneurial mindset, and dedication to artist empowerment have continuously positioned him at the forefront of our evolving music industry, said Katie Vitolins BM '06, head of fan commerce at Amazon Music and a Berklee trustee. I have every confidence that through Jim's leadership, Berklee will achieve new levels of academic success and creativity, defining the future of arts education.

When we embarked on this search, we recognized that Berklee's strength is rooted in its rich history, its commitment to excellence, and the transformative power of music and the arts, said Sean Skeete, dean of the Professional Performance Division and search committee member. Jim embraces and embodies this vision, bringing a distinguished record as a leader and pioneer. I believe his stewardship will propel Berklee to new heights in educational, technological, and creative leadership across music, dance, and theater.

Throughout his career, Jim Lucchese has shown steadfast support for the artistic community, said Isa Jess Mu oz, interim dean of music for Boston Conservatory at Berklee and search committee member. His m
LINK: https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/jim-lucchese-named-berklee-s-...
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 ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

26/08/2026

Bolin Technology and ITDev Join AIMS

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/08/2026

Enco to Highlight Caption, Translation Enhancements at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/08/2026

ZOO Digital Chooses Interra Systems BATON for Quality Control

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/08/2026

Gomez Criticizes FCC's Media Bureau on Political Advertising

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/08/2026

Tedial to Demo AI-Driven Media Supply Chain Solutions at IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/08/2026

AIMS Welcomes Bolin Technology and ITDev as Newest Member...

PTZ Camera Manufacturer and FPGA Design Specialist Join Alliance to Advance IPMX and Open AV-over-IP Standards The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) today...

26/08/2026

ZOO Digital Selects Interra Systems BATON for File-Based...

BATON offers ZOO Digital advanced audio and video quality analysis, and scalable architecture Interra Systems, a leading provider of end-to-end quality assuran...

26/08/2026

Scottish Rugby Expands Managed Coach Communications Partn...

Riedel Communications today announced the continued expansion of its managed coach communications partnership with Scottish Rugby Union. Now entering its third ...

26/08/2026

Zixi Demonstrates Hybrid Workflows and Proven Live Video...

Zixi brings Broadcaster V19 and showcases interoperable platform on Stand 5.A76 Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, will be exhib...

26/08/2026

Scripps Research professor Jeffery Kelly elected to the European Academy of Engineering

LA JOLLA, CA-Jeffery Kelly, the H. Lutcher Brown Professor of Chemistry at Scrip...

26/08/2026

Indie Developer Launches Orty, aWindows App That Helps Freelance VideoEditors Find Better Clients

Indie Developer Launches Orty, aWindows App That Helps Freelance VideoEditors Fi...

26/08/2026

BTS on Sinners and Is God Is Shot with Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro

BTS on Sinners and Is God Is Shot with Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro Brie Clayton August 25, 2026 0 Comments Award winning filmmaker Travis Henry elevat...

25/08/2026

Open, Sustainable, Predictable: What Utah Scientific Is Bringing to IBC 2026

Open, Sustainable, Predictable: What Utah Scientific Is Bringing to IBC 2026 As broadcast leaders prepare to gather at the RAI Amsterdam for IBC 2026, the main ...

25/08/2026

The Big Shift: Inside NC State's Phased Move From SDI to SMPTE ST 2110

NC State's Matthew Byrd breaks down how an IP-based infrastructure is delivering greater flexibility and scalability for Wolfpack productions...

25/08/2026

Monumental Sports Network Adds DAZN as Distribution Partner for Monumental+ in the DMV

Deal expands the DTC reach in-market of Capitals, Wizards, Mystics games and oth...

25/08/2026

Jacksonville Jaguars Carlos Caceres on Producing Shows at an Ever-Evolving EverBank Stadium

The two-year renovation period will create a stadium of the future for the NFL f...

25/08/2026

Behind The Mic: Genie Bouchard Joins ESPN for 2026 US Open; NBC Sports Names College Football Announce Hosts

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

25/08/2026

LD Systems Installs L-Acoustics A Series at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston

Shell Energy Stadium in Houston has installed a new L-Acoustics A Series loudspeaker system, designed and installed by LD Systems, a Clair Global brand. The 20,...

25/08/2026

FloCollege Expands Distribution and Adds Features for 2026-27 Season

FloCollege is expanding its distribution and product offerings for the 2026-27 season, covering more than 20 NCAA partner conferences across Division I, II, and...

25/08/2026

TNA Wrestling and REVOLT Announce Content Partnership

TNA Wrestling and REVOLT have announced a content partnership bringing exclusive TNA Xplosion matches and content from TNA's library to REVOLT. Our indust...

25/08/2026

Gracenote: FAST Sports Programming Growth Outpaces Channel Growth

Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its Q3 2026 Data Hub analysis showing that FAST sports programming is growing at more than ...

25/08/2026

Amagi Appoints Thomas dHrouville Head of Sales for France, Benelux, and Nordics

Amagi has appointed Thomas d'H rouville as Head of Sales for France, Benelux, and Nordics. Based in Paris, he will lead Amagi's growth strategy across t...

25/08/2026

IPC Appoints CCATech as Channel Partner in Brazil

IPC has appointed CCATech as its channel partner in Brazil, expanding the company's presence in Latin America. CCATech was founded in 2023 by Carlos Abrah o...

25/08/2026

FanConnect Introduces FC4 Multi-Output Media Player

FanConnect has announced the FC4, a multi-output media player designed to drive mid-sized video walls, multi-screen concession stands, and multi-display digital...

25/08/2026

JWX Launches JWX Content Hub for Publisher Video Distribution and Monetization

JWX has launched JWX Content Hub, a platform for publisher video that combines content transformation, social distribution, audience engagement, and monetizatio...

25/08/2026

Techex Appoints Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer

Techex has appointed Stuart Almond as Chief Revenue Officer. Almond brings more than 25 years of experience across technology, media, and telecommunications, ha...

25/08/2026

IBC 2026: Grass Valley to Showcase Unified SDI, IP, and Software Infrastructure

Grass Valley will demonstrate infrastructure connecting SDI, SMPTE ST 2110, MXL, and software-based processing at IBC2026 (Booth 9.A01, RAI Amsterdam, September...

25/08/2026

Taking Control: How Professional Sports Teams Are Building Their In-Market Future as the RSN Model Fractures

Franchises are taking greater ownership of production, distribution, and the fan...

25/08/2026

The PRO Tour Takes Golf Broadcasts Wireless With BMG's REMI-Driven Production Model

The first-year circuit for former professional athletes leans on LiveU, Starlink...

25/08/2026

UNIVERSAL FILM AND FOCUS FEATURES RENEW EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH SUNDANCE INSTITUTE TO SUPPORT RISING FILMMAKERS

Announcing the 2026 Sundance Institute Breakthrough | Focus Features Fellows L...

25/08/2026

Soundgas third John Paul Jones auction now live

Auction Part 3 running until 9 September 2026 Soundgas have announced that the latest stage of their John Paul Jones Gear Auction is now live, and that bids...

25/08/2026

MONO Music Conference programme announced

Over 60 award-winning artists, songwriters, producers, engineers The MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo SF), San Francisco's premier event for m...

25/08/2026

Groove Synthesis update the 3rd Wave

All three versions receive firmware upgrade Groove Synthesis have just launched a free firmware update that kits the 3rd Wave out with two major new feature...

25/08/2026

Clear-Com FreeSpeak Cell Field Trial Demonstrates Cellular Intercom Capabilities...

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...

25/08/2026

BMG Taps LiveU For REMI Coverage of Golf's Pro Tour

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/08/2026

Rate of Subscription Fee Hikes Drops for Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/08/2026

Law&Crime Reconvenes Court TV on Amagi CLOUDPORT

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/08/2026

Akta Tech To Showcase AI-First Video Platform At IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/08/2026

Major Live Sports Events Bolster Broadcast Viewing in Q2 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/08/2026

Lingopal debuts real-time AI translation advances for mul...

Lingopal, the AI-powered live translation and localization specialist, is unveiling new platform capabilities at IBC2026 (11 14 September, RAI Amsterdam), helpi...

25/08/2026

TV5MONDE combines AI and editorial expertise with Bminty...

Bminty is supporting TV5MONDE in the evolution of its editorial processes through a new AI-assisted press information generation solution. Combining the Louise ...

25/08/2026

Two Cultures. Millions Reached. One Berklee Connection.

Two Cultures. Millions Reached. One Berklee Connection. Meet Annie Dickinson and Zhengxi Zhang-the couple who turned their creative partnership into music car...

25/08/2026

Law and Crime Moves Court TV to Amagi CLOUDPORT for Unifi...

Amagi, the media industry cloud platform for unified broadcast, streaming, and monetization, today announced that Law&Crime has migrated its Court TV channel, s...

25/08/2026

Broadcast Solutions demonstrates world-class technology a...

Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast and media industry, is showcasing the breadth of its ca...

25/08/2026

Leader boosts Test and Measurement capabilities for Denma...

Thatcham, UK 25 August 2026: Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics, has announced that leading broadcast rental company Minitech has purchased a Le...

25/08/2026

Appear and TVTEL power centralised VAR signal transport i...

Appear's X20 Platform enables visually lossless video contribution with sub-frame latency and full path redundancy for TVTEL's centralised VAR operation...

25/08/2026

Big Blue Marble to showcase next-generation 5G Broadcast...

World-first demonstration combines 5G Broadcast and Media over QUIC for seamless, ultra-low-latency hybrid media delivery Big Blue Marble will showcase new dev...