Class Connections

There has been a great new development for alumni all over the world since I wrote my my last column. The new Berklee alumni web site is now up and running. This redesigned portal features a yellow pages directory, job listings, a message board, and, yes--more alumni notes. To check it out, go to alumni.berklee.edu. After registering and receiving a password, you will have access to all of the site's features. 

In another direction, we have held several notable alumni events in various places. The New York alumni chapter hosted a reception at the 2001 IAJE Conference. The event featured an outstanding trio led by Derek Nievergelt '97 and drew alumni in record numbers. Over 125 alumni stopped by to network and to meet with the many faculty and staff there as well as President Lee Eliot Berk and his wife Susan.

February 25 was the date of the second annual Music Career Expo and Job Fair at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The event was even larger than last year's and attracted over 1,100 people including more than 100 alumni. 

Panel discussions were led by Mike Dreese (Berklee trustee and CEO of Newbury Comics), Don Rose (Berklee trustee and chairman of Rykodisc); and Paul Foley (general manager of Rounder Records) among others. Topics discussed included the impact of technology on music, marketing yourself, artist and record relationships, and more. Specialized workshops covered topics such as music publishing, preparing and submitting demos, how to get a job at a record label or distribution company, to name a few. The keynote address was given by Donald S. Passman, music attorney and author of All You Need to Know about the Music Business. [See the Berklee Beat article for a more complete overview.]

In March the Nashville alumni chapter welcomed students visiting with the annual spring break trip. Several alumni participated as panelists and assisted with a variety of events over the course of the five-day trip. As always, there was a strong showing at the alumni reception with over 50 Nashville alumni attending. Equally as popular was an alumni music showcase at the Castle Door hosted by Shane Adams '95.

The Berklee String Orchestra, directed by Associate Professor Eugene Friesen, took a road trip to New York in late April. The result was an outstanding performance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine featuring faculty soloists Greg Hopkins, Matt Glaser, Mimi Rabson, and Melissa Howe. Many alumni, parents, and prospective students stopped by to hear the program and for a festive post-concert reception.

Oz Barron '80 led an informative web site workshop for a captivated group of alumni on May 14 at Apple's corporate offices in downtown Boston. Barron discussed companies that are using the Web to target customers and who are achieving various objectives through their web sites. He also discussed techniques that increase traffic to a site, building name recognition for a band, artist, or company, and methods to make a web site more productive.

Once again, don't forget to check out the alumni web site and register for an account password today.

All the best,

—Adrian Ross '96

Director, Alumni Affairs