Michael Shinn Appointed Interim Executive Director of Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Dear Berklee community,

I am pleased to announce that Michael Shinn, D.M.A., dean of music at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, has been appointed interim executive director of the Conservatory, effective August 1. Michael brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, and the decision to appoint him to this critical position was made in close consultation with the executive director search committee, Berklee leadership, and members of the Conservatory community. 

As interim executive director, Michael will assume oversight of the Conservatory’s Dance, Music, and Theater divisions as well as advance Boston Conservatory's Strategic Direction for 2020–2025. He will also guide the school's operations; provide comprehensive support to the Conservatory community, serving as an advocate for its students, faculty, and staff; and work closely with me, Berklee senior leadership, the Conservatory's leadership team, and colleagues across the institution, to further the Conservatory’s goals and develop the next mission, vision, and strategic direction for Berklee.

Since joining the Conservatory as dean in 2017, Michael’s passion for educating creative and versatile musicians of the future, combined with his enduring support for the outstanding faculty and students at the Conservatory, have been foundational to his leadership. As dean, he has directed an artistic planning and strategization process that articulated vision and positioning statements for the Music Division. In support of the Conservatory’s Strategic Direction, he has worked closely with faculty and administration to lead development and the refinement of the curriculum, ensuring it remains innovative and cutting-edge. 

Michael’s commitment to performing arts excellence and enhancing the student experience has led him to establish important professional partnerships and learning opportunities for Conservatory students. He forged a long-term collaboration with Silkroad Ensemble, now in residence at the Conservatory, that has positively impacted the student experience from performance collaborations at Symphony Hall to artistic risk-taking and interdisciplinary work. Michael also created a new partnership with Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) to provide professional access and engagement for opera students and foster collaboration with BLO’s emerging artists and leaders, while welcoming world-renowned visiting artists and clinicians to campus. 

Collaborating with departments across Berklee, Michael has worked to leverage the merger for the benefit of Conservatory students as well as the entire institution. These include partnerships with Berklee Valencia to launch the study abroad program for Music Division students; with BerkleeNYC to record Music Division ensembles in 8k virtual reality at these world-class studios; with the College’s Screen Scoring Department to create a competition for their students’ compositions to be recorded at Berklee NYC; and with Berklee Online to support the development of a unique Conservatory course. 

Prior to joining the Conservatory, Michael was chair of keyboard studies at The Juilliard School. He also served as senior advisor for artistic and educational programs at Juilliard Global Ventures, where he designed and taught the school’s first online course. Additionally, Michael has presented panels about the future of arts education and the role of the arts in society at conferences including SXSW EDU, SphinxConnect, and the Yamaha Educational Leader’s Summit. Michael and his wife, Jessica, cofounded and direct the pianoSonoma Music Festival, which supports the development of young musicians by providing training in audience engagement and collaborations with adult participants as well as fostering opportunities in performance, teaching, and leading master classes for the artists in residence. He maintains an active performance career as a professional pianist and teaches chamber music and studio piano. Michael received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from The Juilliard School and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Please join me in thanking Michael for stepping into this important role and congratulating him on his appointment. As Michael prepares for this transition, we are finalizing details of the leadership plan for the Conservatory’s Music Division as well as the process and timeline for the permanent executive director search.

Sincerely,

David Bogen
Interim President and Provost