Alumni Beat

During this year’s spring break week March 14–19, Berklee alumni and students headed south for events in Nashville, Atlanta, and Austin. Led by professors Pat Pattison and Stephen Webber, approximately 120 Berklee students participated in this year’s annual pilgrimage to Nashville. As has become customary, the students were welcomed by Music City industry professionals and mingled with Nashville alumni at a well-attended reception.

Further west, in Austin, TX, Berklee hosted parties at the Lucky Lounge and at Friends Bar during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference. Performers at the parties included alumni bands, student artists from Berklee’s Heavy Rotation Records label, and Berkleemusic.com artists. On March 19, for the second year, Berklee trustee David Clem and his wife, Kathy, hosted a Texas-style barbecue for alumni and friends at their home, Clear Rock Ranch outside of Austin.

Berklee’s newest spring break adventure was a three-day trip to Atlanta. There, Berklee students visited local recording studios and a radio station and attended a panel discussion at SESAC. President Roger Brown addressed the crowd at an alumni reception at Max Lager’s Wood-Fired Grill & Brewery, a local restaurant owned by alumnus John (JR) Roberts ’88. Other highlights included watching the taping of BET’s Mo’Nique Show, and a panel discussion by local industry professionals held at Kennesaw State University. Plans for next year’s spring break events will be posted on the alumni website at http://alumni.berklee.edu.

Finally, don’t miss your chance to win one of three iPads. To be entered in the drawing, take a few minutes to share your opinions in our online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/berkleealumni(Opens in a new window).

On a different note, at this difficult time in Japan, our thoughts and prayers continue with the people of that country, among whom are many members of the Berklee community and their families.