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 ...

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 ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

13/03/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Net Insight's Andreas Eriksson on Scalable, Predictable Live-Media Infrastructure

Recently named CEO Andreas Eriksson has taken the helm at Net Insight at a pivot...

13/03/2026

Scripps Sports To Broadcast First PWHL Game on National TV in U.S.

Scripps Sports and Ally Financial are partnering with the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) to broadcast its first game on national linear televisio...

13/03/2026

Disney+ Follows in ESPN's Footsteps With Launch of Verts Vertical Video Feed on Mobile

Disney+ has launched Verts, a vertical video feed on its U.S. mobile app, markin...

13/03/2026

LTN and Appear Announce Integrated Solution for Live Event Video Transport and Distribution

LTN, a managed IP video transport company, and Appear, a live production technol...

13/03/2026

PFL Signs Betting Data and Streaming Agreement With Sportradar

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced an agreement with Sportradar for global betting data and streaming rights. Under the deal, Sportradar becom...

13/03/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 7: Milwaukee Brewers' Jami Patton - Game Pres with the Brew Crew

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

13/03/2026

Peacock To Add Vertical Video Option for Live NBA Games

The streamer will be the first entertainment platform to offer AI-enabled vertical video for live games, starting with the NBA...

13/03/2026

Ease Live Deploys Interactive Overlay Platform on Red Bull TV for Premier Padel

Ease Live, an Evertz company specializing in interactive graphical overlays, has deployed its platform on Red Bull TV for Premier Padel coverage. The deployment...

13/03/2026

ESPN's Andy Jacobson on Pushing the Envelope to Debut MNF Playbook'

Monday Night Football, ESPN's premiere NFL property, has continued to be improved and upgraded from a production perspective. Alternative broadcasts are aug...

13/03/2026

NAB 2026: Net Insight Introduces Nimbra 520 Media Processing Node

At NAB Show 2026, Net Insight (booth W1653) is introducing the Nimbra 520, a high-density media processing node for live contribution and distribution across ma...

13/03/2026

NAB 2026: Harmonic Takes Wraps Off Spectrum X Plus Media Server

Harmonic (booth W2831) has announced Spectrum X Plus, the newest generation of its Spectrum X media server, offering double the channel density of previous gene...

13/03/2026

Riedel Communications Appoints Jan Schaffner as VP of Managed Technology Americas

Riedel Communications has announced the expansion of its Managed Technology Divi...

13/03/2026

NAB 2026: Telestream Launches UP, a Cloud-Native Ingest and Monitoring Solution

Telestream (booth W1503) has announced the expansion of Telestream Cloud Services with the introduction of UP, a cloud-native solution for ingest, orchestration...

13/03/2026

It's Showtime! Production Pros Bring Awards Shows, Festivals, and Other Events to Life

From awards ceremonies and sports honors shows to festivals and fan conventions,...

13/03/2026

Overtime Partners with Metro by T-Mobile for OTE and Overtime Select Basketball Leagues

Overtime has announced a partnership with Metro by T-Mobile, naming Metro the Of...

13/03/2026

NAB 2026: Calrec to Showcase IP Ecosystem and Plethora of New Products

At NAB 2026, Calrec (booth C6907) will IP Ecosystem powered by True Control 2.0, integrating the company's IP-native Argo consoles - including the U.S. debu...

13/03/2026

Ratings Roundup: FOX Smashes WBC Records, ESPN Nets Best College Hoops Audience in 10+ Years

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news derived from press releases ...

13/03/2026

A New Era of Personalization: Shape Your Taste Profile on Spotify

Spotify has always been built around your taste. More than 80% of listeners say personalization is what they love most about us. Now we're taking that even ...

13/03/2026

Spotify Debuts Legends Club for Popular German-Language Podcasts With Kaulitz Hills'

The new Spotify Legends Club has opened its doors. Its members: select German-sp...

13/03/2026

Klevgrand release OneShot2

Pushing drum sampler technology into new territories The latest version of Klevgrand's software drum sampler has just arrived, boasting a newly designe...

13/03/2026

IK Multimedia update ARC On-Ear

Expanded headphone support & engine improvements IK Multimedia's recently introduced ARC On-Ear system brings the power of their monitoring-correction s...

13/03/2026

UVI introduce Mosaiq 26

Extra sound collections, more presets & new Keys category UVI's rhythm and pattern instrument has just received a major update that introduces four new ...

13/03/2026

Missionized Business Jets: Fielded and Flying

Over a year ago, L3Harris delivered the first missionized Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Two ATHENA-R platforms now average 400+...

13/03/2026

GFiber and Stonepeak's Astound Broadband to Merge

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/03/2026

Harmonic Redefines the Economics of Video Playout with Ne...

Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced Spectrum X Plus, the newest generation of its Spectrum X media server, offering double the channel density of previous ...

13/03/2026

Historic Ewing Covenant Church Revitalizes Worship Experi...

When Ewing Covenant Church made the decision to return to its original, historic building, affectionately called 1867 Sanctuary for weekly worship, the congre...

13/03/2026

Marshall Electronics Launches CV574 WP its First 4K All I...

Marshall Electronics introduces its first all-IP 4K POV camera, the CV574-WP, at NAB 2026 (Booth C8339). The CV574-WP supports NDI |HX, providing ultra-efficien...

13/03/2026

Net Insight launches Nimbra 520 - Predictable Live Media...

At NAB Show 2026, Net Insight introduces Nimbra 520, a high-density media processing node designed to simplify live contribution and distribution across both ma...

13/03/2026

Abandon Editorial Signs With Michal Dimitri for West Coast Representation

Abandon Editorial Signs With Micha l Dimitri for West Coast Representation Brie Clayton March 12, 2026 0 Comments Abandon Editorial is excited to part...

13/03/2026

Documentary The Bulldogs Shot and Edited with Blackmagic Design

Documentary The Bulldogs Shot and Edited with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton March 12, 2026 0 Comments Editorial tools helped shape film in real time,...

13/03/2026

AE Captions as Fast as CapCut - No Plugins

AE Captions as Fast as CapCut - No Plugins Graham Quince March 12, 2026 0 Comments Stop wasting hours clicking through nested compositions and manuall...

13/03/2026

New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2026 Next Jazz Legacy Cohort

New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2026 Nex...

13/03/2026

VEON Delivers Record Digital Growth: 4Q25 Digital Revenues Grow 84% to 20.1% of Total, Driving 17% Revenue and 29% EBITDA Growth in 4Q25

13 Mar 2026 VEON Delivers Record Digital Growth: 4Q25 Digital Revenues Grow 84%...

13/03/2026

Sky Adds Blood on Snow to Original Film Slate in Acquisition Headlined by Benedict Cumberbatch and Aaron TaylorJohnson

Friday 13 March 2026 Sky Adds Blood on Snow to Original Film Slate in Acquisiti...

13/03/2026

RT announces Rick O'Shea as new presenter on RT Radio 1's Arena

RT has announced today that Rick O'Shea is the new presenter of Arena RT Radio 1's flagship weeknight arts and culture programme. Rick has been pres...

13/03/2026

Lights! Camera! Action! The 98th Oscars set to air live as RT backs the Irish nominees

Lights! Camera! Action! The 98th Oscars set to air live as RT backs the Irish n...

12/03/2026

Milano Cortina 2026: Yospace helps ad-funded rights-holders claim advertising gold

Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 11th March, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dyna...

12/03/2026

Utah Scientific Expands Technology Partner Program With Integrations From Audinate, Bitfocus, and Skaarhoj

Utah Scientific Expands Technology Partner Program With Integrations From Audina...

12/03/2026

Techex Hires Matt McKee as Senior Director, Sales, Americas

Techex, a global expert in live video solutions over IP and cloud, announces the appointment of Matt McKee as Senior Director, Sales, Americas, further strength...

12/03/2026

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America Welcomes Mondae Hott as Regional Sales Manager, Northeast

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America has appointed Mondae Hott as Regional Sales Manag...

12/03/2026

Interra Systems Focuses on Streaming-First QC, Monitoring, and Responsible AI Workflows at 2026 NAB Show

At the 2026 NAB Show, Interra Systems will showcase its latest advancements in a...

12/03/2026

15th National Games of China Features Expansive Unified Broadcast Network

The 15th National Games of China concluded after a two-week celebration of athletic excellence and regional collaboration. Held from Nov. 9-21 across Guangdong,...

12/03/2026

SVG in Indy: Butler University Students Get Live-Sports Experience via On-Campus Studio, Production Truck

Live-production academic program Butler Sports Live produced a total of 40 fall-...

12/03/2026

Lawo Delivers Fully IPBased Video Infrastructure for University of Nebraska's HuskerVision

The University of Nebraska's HuskerVision has completed the second phase of ...

12/03/2026

University of Illinois Upgrades Game-Day Production with New Hybrid IP Control Room

Grass Valley and integration partner Tab M Solutions have completed Phase 1 of a...