New York News

New York alumni are continuing to build their careers, hoping to surpass their successes in 2006. Here are a few highlights.

Lisa Hearns ’96 recorded her new jazz album, I’ve Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good. Grammy award–winning producer Elliot Scheiner produced this album of jazz standards spotlighting Hearns’s vocals. Hearns hopes to release the disc in March 2007. Ian Jeffreys ’98 released his debut album, Gemini. Jeffreys composed and sang all tunes on the album. Several New York alumni came together to play and produce Gemini, including Judson Crane ’00, Kyler England ’00, Richard Hammond ’98, Whynot Jansveld ’98, Mattius Kunzli ’98, Lalo ’99, Dan Nachimson ’98, and Bob Reynolds ’00. Jeffreys has also recently became a music producer at Fluid, a music, sound design, and visual effects studio. In his new position, he will work closely with other alumni, including composer and executive music producer David Shapiro ’79 and composers Andrew Sherman ’89 and Judson Crane.

Brooke Fox ’98 had two of her songs recorded by singer Kathy Brier, star of ABC’s One Life to Live and the Broadway show Hairspray. Brier invited Fox to sing backup vocals on the recording sessions and performed Fox’s song “O City” on the cable show Soap Talk. The CD is available at www.kathybrier.com(Opens in a new window).

The New York Berklee Alumni Chapter’s annual holiday party was held on December 11 at Ludo on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Those attending made new connections and caught up with old friends. A total of 51 alumni turned out for the event, including many recent Berklee graduates. We look forward to the new ideas and perspective that these recent grads will bring to the chapter.

As of January 2007, 79 New York Alumni have donated to the Ernie Boch, Jr., Alumni Challenge. If a total of 1,300 Berklee alumni give a donation of any amount by the end of May, Boch has promised to contribute $65,000 to the college. So far, 870 alumni have made a donation. New York alumni currently comprise less than 10 percent of the total number of alumni who have made contributions. I encourage all of you to donate. Even a gift of $10 can help meet our goal.

If you have questions about how to make a donation or how to find the latest news about New York Alumni Chapter events, visit the Berklee alumni website at http://alumni.berklee.edu, or call the Berklee New York Alumni Chapter hotline at (877) 423-7553.

Congratulations to all of you on your accomplishments this past year. I wish you ongoing success in 2007. See you around town.

—Ren Collins, New York, Alumni Chapter Coordinator