
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
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...
01/06/2026
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, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
08/04/2026
The deadline to enter the 18th Annual SVG College Sports Media Awards in association with NACDA is rapidly approaching! Submit your entries to this year's c...
08/04/2026
The Pittsburgh product helps lead more than 100 annual ESPN broadcasts as part o...
08/04/2026
Dynamic ad insertion, AI-based technologies, programmatic advertising are some o...
08/04/2026
Seven Fellows Selected for Second Year of Residency in Honor of Social Justice L...
08/04/2026
On March 7, Bad Bunny made history with his first-ever performance in Asia, taki...
08/04/2026
El 7 de marzo, Bad Bunny hizo historia con su primera presentaci n en Asia, subi...
08/04/2026
New channel strip plug-in revealed
The latest plug-in to be added to the Fuse Audio Labs line-up emulates a selection of vintage hardware units, combining c...
08/04/2026
Guitar & bass multi-effects software overhauled
Blue Cat Audio's flagship guitar and bass multi-effects software has recently received a significant upd...
08/04/2026
PanNoir mixer integration, Dolby Atmos Renderer & more
Merging Technologies have just launched Pyramix 16, the latest major update to their renowned DAW sof...
08/04/2026
Applicable Products Part number Description
QUARTZ-22-LTE (EU) Dual Port Dual SIM LTE Router (EU)
QUARTZ-COMPACT-11-LTE (EU) Single Port Compact LTE ...
08/04/2026
The September 19, 2025 YEP Newsletter highlights a group visit to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where participants explored exhibits showcasing the art...
08/04/2026
The L3Harris HBTSS satellite is proven on orbit, successfully demonstrating trac...
08/04/2026
Image Credit: NASA. Artist rendering of a space communications satellite in orbit, representative of the resilient, multiband infrastructure supporting mission ...
08/04/2026
Latest evaluation validates image quality, Inertial Navigation System performance and long-range tracking in operational flight conditions....
08/04/2026
New Gracenote study finds behavioral change well underway, but trust in AI-gener...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Integration eliminates ingest bottlenecks by ensuring content is immediately usable across cloud and hybrid editorial workflows. See it at NAB 2026.
Nevada Cit...
08/04/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the commercial availability of Dalia, its media-aware, agentic AI...
08/04/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced Senza Ignite, a cloud-based platform that transforms existing connected devices through a single firmw...
08/04/2026
Modernised architecture increases operational control and agility, while reducing cost and simplifying nationwide media transport across affiliates and news bur...
08/04/2026
Company to Feature DMX Dual Relay, High-Density 48-Channel Relay Panels, and New Private Label Power Program
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of innovative ele...
08/04/2026
Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), a European media technology and services partner, today announces a technology partnership with BCNEXXT, a Netherlands-based c...
08/04/2026
Encompass Digital Media today announced the expansion of its Master Control Room (MCR) facility in Riga, Latvia, establishing it as one of the most advanced and...
08/04/2026
Leading video solutions provider Synamedia is back at The 2026 NAB Show with innovations that connect tomorrows audiences today. On display will be a range of t...
08/04/2026
COW Jobs: Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama
Brie Clayton April 8, 2026
0 Comments
Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama
March 17, 2026COW ...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Marshall Electronics introduces its latest POV camera with the new CV376 Compact NDI |HX3 HDMI POV Camera at NAB 2026 (Booth C8339). Designed for versatile 4K c...
08/04/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, enables interoperable live video workflows across multi-vendor environments, helping broadcast...
08/04/2026
All episodes available on Thursday 30 April on Sky Atlantic and NOWWednesday 8 A...
08/04/2026
Back to All News
Agent from Above' Celebrates Divine Ascent to Global Rank...
08/04/2026
Back to All News
Official Poster Revealed for My Two Cents, the New Animated Se...
08/04/2026
ICG is gearing up for a busy day on 14th May in Manchester.
First up, we'll be joining the Northern Marketing Festival as one of the event's marketing ...
08/04/2026
The Teatro Col n in Buenos Aires is not a venue that tolerates compromise. Built in 1908 and routinely ranked among the worlds finest concert halls, it has an a...
08/04/2026
Young Forever: The Death of Ageing? airs Monday 13 April and 20 April on RT One and RT Player
Around the world, the race to beat ageing is on. From cutting ...
08/04/2026
Scripps Research scientists uncover new mechanism cancer cells use to survive DNA damage Discovery reshapes understanding of how tumor cells repair broken DNA, ...
07/04/2026
Ikegami USA will launch a refinement to the UHK-X700 and UHK-X750 3-CMOS -in. UHD cameras in the UNICAM XE series plus two new 7-in. viewfinders at NAB 2026 in...
07/04/2026
The NAB Leadership Foundation and NAB PILOT will host a career mixer for technology students at NAB Show 2026 on April 18, 5-6:30 p.m., North Hall, Room N225/22...
07/04/2026
Audinate Group Limited and Futuresource Consulting have published results from a...
07/04/2026
Eluvio has announced the commercial availability of its Content Fabric Bucharest...