Dynamic duo
Harvard, Berklee team up to offer students dual degrees
Harvard is famous for minting presidents and tech innovators, but a score of world class musicians have come through the Yard — jazz master Aaron Goldberg, classical giant Yo-Yo Ma, jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman and rock god Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine and more) all studied there.
For many Crimson players, the proximity to Berklee College of Music has been key to their development. In the past, students forged their own relationships with Berklee undergrads in jam sessions at Wally’s jazz cafe or in ad hoc ensembles. Going forward, musicians will have a chance to study formally at both schools.
Starting today, prospective students can apply to a program that offers a fiveyear dual degree that will let them earn a bachelor of arts at Harvard and a master’s of music or arts at Berklee.
“When I got to Harvard it was a jazz desert, so students at Berklee, these young players I met at Wally’s became my musical family for four years,” pianist Aaron Goldberg said. “If I was at Harvard today I would probably take advantage of this program. It seems very welldesigned and coming out after five years with B.A. and master’s is much more useful that two undergraduate degrees.”
If you’re thinking this program is only aimed at those Cambridge kids with amazing chops, Berklee president Roger Brown invites you to think bigger.
“We have students here who have perfect SAT scores, whose families may secretly wonder why they chose Berklee and not Harvard,” Brown said. “If you’re that bright and talented, now you don’t have to choose between the two. Tom Morello or someone like (folk singer) David Wax who went to Harvard might have really loved to play in our James Brown or Radiohead ensembles. Now they can.”
Driven by student demand on both sides and by Berklee’s ambitions to expand what it means to be a music college, the partnership was modeled after Harvard’s joint degree with New England Conservatory.
“Our work with NEC made it easier, seeing that success it seemed like this program with Berklee would be a natural way to move our music offerings further,” said Nancy Shafman, administration director in Harvard’s department of music. “Hopefully this will help bridge the Charles River, which sometimes seems hard to get across even with all the art and music in Boston.”
The Charles can be a formidable obstacle for institutions, but students should be more willing to cross the divide. Sadly, even kids only separated by a T ride don’t always connect.
“I knew some great players at Harvard that just didn’t make the effort,” Goldberg said. “Or they didn’t know how to forge a relationship with everyone at Berklee. I hope this begins to change this.”