Berklee College of Music to come up in Abu Dhabi

abu dhabi — Contemporary music and performing arts institution Berklee College of Music will come up on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island. The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed an agreement to this effect with the Boston-based music college.

It will be launched next month with first semester running until May 2020.

Berklee Abu Dhabi will be located in the newly renovated Norman Foster-designed UAE Pavilion building. It will develop and deliver workshops, masterclasses, courses, ensembles and labs, and will present a number of annual performances. The collaboration sees the creation of a $5-million fellowship fund, which will offer scholarships for students to pursue degree programmes in Boston, New York, Valencia, or through Berklee Online; attend a summer programme in Boston or Valencia; or attend a programme in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, attended the agreement signing ceremony between Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, and Roger Brown, President of Berklee College of Music.

“Abu Dhabi prides itself on its partnerships with preeminent international institutions and now Berklee Abu Dhabi is another innovative addition to the Saadiyat Cultural District and to Abu Dhabi’s cultural offering,” said Al Mubarak.