Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Address
8 Fenway
Boston, MA
Information
Type Private
Established 1867
President Roger H. Brown
Executive Director Catherine Young
Enrollment Approximately 750
Campus Urban
Website bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

The Boston Conservatory at Berklee (formerly The Boston Conservatory) is a performing arts conservatory located in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in music, dance and theater.[1]

Founded in 1867, the Conservatory offers Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Master of Fine Arts and Master of Music degrees, as well as Graduate Performance Diplomas, Artist Diplomas, and Professional Studies Certificates.[2]

In December 2015, Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory agreed to merge. The merger was effective as of Summer 2016. The combined institution, located in Boston's historic Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods, is now known as "Berklee," with the Conservatory being "Boston Conservatory at Berklee."[3]

History

8 Fenway, the Conservatory's main building.

On February 11, 1867, violinist and composer Julius Eichberg founded The Boston Conservatory as a professional training academy and a community music school. It was one of the first conservatories to grant admission to African Americans and women.

In 1873, Eichberg’s operetta “The Doctor of Alcontara” was performed at the Conservatory by the first African-American opera company in the U.S.

In 1878, Eichberg established the Eichberg String Quartet, the first professional female quartet.

In 1893, upon Eichberg's death, direction was assumed by R. Marriner Floyd, with Herman P. Chelius, organist and composer, serving as the musical director. Under their direction, the school was first incorporated in 1896.

After the turn of the 20th century, the Conservatory merged with the National Associated Studios of Music, and created the first "grand opera" department in the U.S.

In 1943, Jan Veen established The Boston Conservatory Dance Division, the first program to emphasize both classical ballet and America's emerging modern dance. In 1951, the school gained authority to award Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in drama and dance.

Prior to 2015, The Boston Conservatory was an independent private college with accredited programs in music, dance, and theater. The Conservatory has presented more than 700 performances each year.

In 2015, The Boston Conservatory began talks with Berklee College of Music to explore a merger of the two schools.[4]

On January 19, 2016, the two schools announced that they would be merging. The agreement was signed the next day, with Berklee College of Music being renamed Berklee and the Conservatory being renamed The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.[5][6]

Academics

Programs of Study

  • The Music Division
    • For the 2014-2015 school year, the Music Division enrolled 198 undergraduate and 211 graduate students taught by 114 full- and part-time faculty. The school awards the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees as well as Graduate Performance Diplomas, Artist Diplomas and Professional Studies Certificates. Degrees are offered in the following: Brass, Choral Conducting, Collaborative Piano, Composition, Contemporary Music Performance, Guitar, Harp, Multiple Woodwinds, Music Education, Opera, Orchestral Conducting, Percussion/Marimba, Piano, Strings, Vocal Pedagogy, Voice/Opera and Woodwinds.[7]
  • The Dance Division
    • For the 2014-2015 school year, the Dance Division enrolled 129 undergraduate students. Training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, ethnic styles, Pilates, Alexander Technique, and choreography is offered. The Dance Division offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The Director of the Dance Division is Cathy Young.
      • The B.F.A. in contemporary dance performance program has been recognized by Backstage[8] and Onstage.com[9] as the best contemporary dance program in the country.
  • The Theater Division
    • The Boston Conservatory’s Theater Division has developed a specialization in musical theater, and in 2015 launched degree programs in Contemporary Theater and Multidisciplinary Stage Management. The department offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. Seniors may choose an emphasis in Directing, Music Performance, Dance, or Acting. In the 2014-2015 school year, the Theater Division enrolled 254 undergraduate and 28 graduate students. The Director of the Theater Division is Neil Donohoe.

    High School & Collegiate Programs

    • Summer Dance Intensive (SDI)
      • This three-week intensive program is for dancers (ages 15–25) with high proficiency in ballet who are looking to grow and expand their repertoire into contemporary and modern theater dance. Classes include courses in ballet and modern, pointe and variations, Pilates and Alexander techniques, choreography and percussive dance. The program typically takes place in June.
    • The Vocal/Choral Intensive (VCI)
      • This two-week program is for high school students (ages 15–18) who are serious about singing and looking to build technical skills and musicianship. It offers coursework in solo, opera, musical theater and choral repertoire. The program typically takes place in July.
    • Musical Theater Dance Intensive (MTDI)
      • This three week intensive is for students (ages 15–25) with a high proficiency in dance who are looking to build skills in dance, voice and acting. The program runs July 15-August 4, 2012.
    • High School Composition Intensive (HSCI)
      • This two week program is for students (ages 15–18) who have a serious interest in music composition. Students will engage in rigorous daily practice of composition and have their original work performed by a professional string quartet. This program typically runs in July.

    Student life

    Instead of dormitories, The Boston Conservatory uses Victorian brownstones for on-campus housing. Undergraduate rooms consist of quints, quads, triples, doubles, and singles.

    Approximately 29% of students live on campus.[10]

    People

    Notable alumni

    Notable faculty

    Presidents of The Boston Conservatory

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Academics | Boston Conservatory". bostonconservatory.berklee.edu. Boston Conservatory. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
    2. ↑ "History | Boston Conservatory". bostonconservatory.berklee.edu. Boston Conservatory. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
    3. ↑ "About | Berklee and Boston Conservatory". bostonconservatory.berklee.edu. Boston Conservatory. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
    4. ↑ http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/26/berklee-college-of-music-exploring-merger-with-boston-conservatory/
    5. ↑ "Berklee and The Boston Conservatory Agree to Merger, Set the Stage for New International Standard in Performing Arts Education | Berklee College of Music". www.berklee.edu. Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
    6. ↑ Pohle, Allison (20 January 2016). "Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory will merge". Boston.com. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
    7. ↑ "Music | Boston Conservatory". bostonconservatory.berklee.edu. Boston Conservatory. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
    8. ↑ Backstage
    9. ↑ OnStage.com
    10. ↑ "Boston Conservatory". The Princeton Review. Retrieved 2014-09-05.

    Bibliography

    • College Music Society (2006). Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada 2006-2007, 28th Edition. Missoula, MT: College Music Society. p. 167. ISBN 1-881913-26-0.
    • Uscher, Nancy (1988). The Schirmer Guide to Schools of Music and Conservatories Throughout the World. New York: Schirmer Books. pp. 150–151. ISBN 0-02-873030-5.

    Coordinates: 42°20′46″N 71°05′24″W / 42.3462°N 71.0901°W / 42.3462; -71.0901

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