Performances + Events
Honorary Doctors of Music
Recognizing the distinguished artists who have shaped our world through music.
Since 1956, New England Conservatory has conferred honorary Doctor of Music degrees on individuals who have made significant contributions to music, the arts, and the betterment of humanity. Recipients include jazz legends, internationally acclaimed composers, renowned conductors, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriters, civil rights activists, business leaders, and members of the NEC faculty.
Awardees typically receive their degree at NEC’s Commencement ceremonies in May, but some are recognized in conjunction with a concert, lecture, or other campus event.
Honorary Doctors of Music
After NEC
Recent Recipients
This year’s recipients are honored for their lifelong commitment to and support of the performing arts and their remarkable contributions to the field.
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Paul Simon 2024
During his distinguished career spanning seven decades, musician Paul Simon has produced an unparalleled body of work, including timeless masterpieces such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sounds of Silence,” and “Graceland.” Venerated as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Simon has received 16 GRAMMY™ Awards and has been twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, and was presented with the Library of Congress’ inaugural Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world’s culture.
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Robert Spano 2024
Robert Spano, conductor, pianist, composer, and teacher, is known worldwide for the intensity of his artistry and distinctive communicative abilities, creating a sense of inclusion and warmth among musicians and audiences that is unique among American orchestras. After twenty seasons as Music Director, he continues his association with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Music Director Laureate. An avid mentor to rising artists, he is responsible for nurturing the careers of numerous celebrated composers, conductors, and performers. As Music Director of the Aspen Music Festival and School – a post he has held since 2011 – he oversees the programming of more than 300 events and educational programs for 630 students and young performers.
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Dawn Upshaw 2024
Joining a rare natural warmth with a fierce commitment to the transforming communicative power of music, Dawn Upshaw has achieved worldwide celebrity as a singer of opera and concert repertoire ranging from the sacred works of Bach to the freshest sounds of today. Her ability to reach to the heart of music and text has earned her both the devotion of an exceptionally diverse audience, and the awards and distinctions accorded to only the most distinguished of artists. In 2007, she was named a Fellow of the MacArthur Foundation, the first vocal artist to be awarded the five-year “genius” prize, and in 2008 she was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
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George E. Lewis 2023
George E. Lewis is an American composer, musicologist, computer-installation artist, and trombonist, and the Edwin H. Case Professor of American Music at Columbia University where he serves as Area Chair in Composition, and Artistic Director of the International Contemporary Ensemble.
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Ann Hobson Pilot 2023
Ann Hobson Pilot is an internationally renowned classical harpist, now retired from the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestras after 40 years. As an African American woman in the classical music world, she broke barriers of both race and gender, and she is devoted to expanding access to musical training for underserved students and to raising awareness about issues of diversity and inclusion of underrepresented musicians in orchestras.
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David Zinman 2023
Conductor Laureate of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, having completed his 19-year tenure as Music Director in summer 2014, David Zinman has held positions as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony orchestras and more recently at the Orchestre Français des Jeunes, Principal Conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Distinguished Visiting Artist at the Eastman School of Music, and Music Director of the Aspen Music Festival, School and American Academy of Conducting.
past recipients
Alan Abel, 2012
Joseph Allard, 1987
Katja Andy, 1987
Jose Antonio Abreu, 2002
David Amram, 2022
Marian Anderson, 1964
Claudio Arrau, 1988
Martina Arroyo, 2016
Carl J. Atkins, 2021
Emanuel Ax, 2021
Ethan Ayer, 1976
Milton Babbitt, 1972
Sherwin Badger, 1972
David Baker, 2006
Frank L. Battisti, 2012
Bethany Beardslee, 1994
Remo Belli, 2013
Arthur Berger, 1987
E. Power Biggs, 1965
Eubie Blake, 1974
Ran Blake, 2006
Art Blakey, 1989
Carla Bley, 2014
William Bolcom, 2001
Eric Booth, 2012
Deborah Borda, 2021
Joseph L. Bower, 2018
Anthony Braxton 2016
Alfred Brendel, 2009
Claire Brook, 1999
Bob Brookmeyer, 2008
John Brownlee, 1967
Richard Burgin, 1962
Kennett F. Burnes, 2022
Anner Bylsma, 1995
Sarah Caldwell, 1979
The Canadian Brass, 1992
Simon Carrington, 2014
Benny Carter, 1998
Elliott Carter, 1961
Ron Carter, 1999
Kyung Wha Chung, 2015
Robert Cogan, 2003
Freddy Cole, 2012
Ornette Coleman, 1992
Edward Cone, 1984
Francis Judd Cooke, 1974
Aaron Copland, 1977
John Corigliano, 2001
Elvis Costello, 2013
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Elvis Costello 2013
George Crumb, 1983
Phyllis Curtin, 1981
Oliver Daniel, 1974
Mabel Daniels, 1958
Miles Davis, 1986
Jean Demos, 1962
Lorna Cooke deVaron, 1988
Justino Diaz, 1986
Harry Ellis Dickson, 1987
William R. Driver, Jr., 1980
Doriot Anthony Dwyer, 2004
Richard Dyer, 2007
Halim El-Dabh, 2007
Rosalind Elias, 1982
Gil Evans, 1985
Andrew Falender, 1992
Luis Ferré, 1975
Arthur Fiedler, 1971
Ross Lee Finney, 1967
Everett “Vic” Firth, 1992
Jorja Fleezanis, 2011
Leon Fleisher, 1996
Elliot Forbes, 1996
Lukas Foss, 2000
Aretha Franklin, 1997
Paul Fromm, 1967
James Galway, 1980
John Eliot Gardiner, 2005
Howard Gardner, 1993
Dizzy Gillespie, 1991
Fernand Gillet, 1969
Joseph Gingold, 1984
Howard Goding, 1972
Boris Goldovsky, 1989
Philip Gossett, 2013
Gary Graffman, 2003
Denyce Graves, 2014
Bernard Greenhouse, 2005
Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras, 1998
Sofia Gubaidulina, 2017
John Hammond, 1977
Thomas Hampson, 2015
Lionel Hampton, 1995
Herbie Hancock, 2018
Howard Hanson, 1956
John Harbison, 1995
Kevin S. Harrington, 1976
Francis W. Hatch, 1988
Roland Hayes, 1961
Roy Haynes, 2004
John Heiss, 2013
Adolph “Bud” Herseth, 1985
Iva Dee Hiatt, 1979
Dave Holland, 2003
Marilyn Horne, 1998
Ian Horsbrugh, 1998
Carl Howard, 1993
John Hsu, 1971
Karel Husa, 1998
Frederick Jagel, 1971
Ahmad Jamal, 2015
Ella Jenkins, 2022
Speight Jenkins, 2011
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Aretha Franklin 1997
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Herbie Hancock 2018
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Coretta Scott King 1971
Graham Johnson, 2013
Quincy Jones, 2010
Ali Akbar Kahn, 2001
Leonidas Kavakos, 2013
Roger Kellaway, 2010
Harrison Keller, 1959
Edward Kennedy, 1997
Coretta Scott King, 1971
Robert King, 1994
Leon Kirchner, 1990
Oliver Knussen, 2013
Olga Koussevitzky, 1968
Jean Kraft, 1989
Louis Krasner, 1981
Ernst Krenek, 1968
Hubert Weldon Lamb, 1963
H.C. Robbins Landon, 1988
Katja Andy, 1987
Paul Henry Lang, 1957
Frances Brockman Lanier, 1992
Vera Brodsky Lawrence, 1976
Eugene Lehner, 1983
Laurence Lesser, 2001
Robert Levin, 2001
David Lewin, 2001
Elma Lewis, 1977
John Lewis, 1983
Norman Lloyd, 1965
Lewis Lockwood, 1997
Robert Lowell, 1969
Witold Lutoslawski, 1990
Yo-Yo Ma, 1992
Wu Man, 2021
Margaret Mason, 1964
Joseph Gabriel Esther Maneri, 2009
Robert Mann, 2004
Herbert Marcuse, 1968
Jean Mayer, 1990
Carl McKinley, 1963
Marian McPartland, 2001
Mabel Mercer, 1980
Arthur Tillman Merritt, 1964
Olivier Messiaen, 1986
Edgar Meyer, 2018
Mildred Miller, 1966
Gladys Child Miller, 1975
Nathan Milstein, 1987
Bruno Monsaingeon, 2007
John Moriarty, 1992
Erica Morini, 1963
Jean Morrow, 2019
Blanche Honegger Moyse, 1984
Charles Munch, 1964
Thea Musgrave, 2004
Conlon Nancarrow, 1990
Jessye Norman, 2019
Roger Norrington, 2010
Ursula Oppens, 2019
Seiji Ozawa, 1982
Hermeto Pascoal, 2017
Claiborne Pell, 1979
George Perle, 2002
Stephanie Perrin, 2008
Malcolm Peyton, 2016
Harvey Phillips, 1971
Daniel Pinkham, 1993
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Yo-Yo Ma 1992
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Wu Man 2021
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Jessye Norman 2019
Walter Piston, 1969
Joseph Polisi, 2001
Harold I. Pratt, 2017
André Previn, 2017
Steve Reich, 2011
Regina Resnik, 2007
Max Roach, 1982
Richard Rodgers, 1976
Sonny Rollins, 2002
Charles Rosen, 2003
Samuel Rosenbaum, 1972
Eric Rosenblith, 1996
Alex Ross, 2010
Peter Lyman Row, 2018
Ruth Rubin, 1994
Carl Ruggles, 1968
George Russell, 2005
Jesus Maria Sanroma, 1963
Peter Schickele, 1999
Alexander Schneider, 1989
Mischa Schneider, 1985
Gunther Schuller, 1978
William Schuman, 1981
William Schwann, 1982
David Scudder, 2003
Peter Serkin, 2001
Rudolph Serkin, 1985
Roger Sessions, 1966
Ravi Shankar, 1993
Robert Shaw, 1983
Russell Sherman, 2015
George Shirley, 2012
Wayne Shorter, 2007
Catherine Filene Shouse, 1975
Leonard Shure, 1990
Beverly Sills, 1973
Joseph Silverstein, 1986
Leonard Slatkin, 2016
Warren Story Smith, 1964
Maynard Solomon, 2005
Robert Sproull, 1998
Mavis Staples, 2021
Janos Starker, 2006
Eleanor Steber, 1962
Michael Steinberg, 1966
Daniel Steiner, 2006
Isaac Stern, 1962
William Grant Still, 1973
Shinichi Suzuki, 1966
Cecil Taylor, 1977
James Taylor, 2022
Clark Terry, 1997
James Terry, 1993
Lewis Thomas, 1982
Randall Thompson, 1975
Virgil Thomson, 1986
Joan Tower, 2006
Leo Treitler, 2011
Alice Tully, 1974
Karen Tuttle, 2010
William Valkenier, 1968
Roger Voisin, 1991
Mark Volpe, 1998
Susan Wadsworth, 2002
William Warfield, 1998
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James Taylor 2022
Chou Wen-chung, 2019
Randy Weston, 2013
Paul Taylor White, 1965
Jordan M. Whitelaw, 1981
Leta Whitney, 1973
Chester W. Williams, 1976
John Williams, 1985
Christoph Wolff, 1999
Stefan Wolpe, 1969
G. Wallace Woodworth, 1958
Bernie Worrell, 2016
Susan Youens, 2014
Benjamin Zander, 2009
Bernard Zighera, 1984
John Zorn, 2014
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Elvis Costello 2013
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Aretha Franklin 1997
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Herbie Hancock 2018
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Coretta Scott King 1971
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Yo-Yo Ma 1992
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Wu Man 2021
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Jessye Norman 2019
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James Taylor 2013
recipients by last name
Alan Abel, 2012
Joseph Allard, 1987
Katja Andy, 1987
Jose Antonio Abreu, 2002
David Amram, 2022
Marian Anderson, 1964
Claudio Arrau, 1988
Martina Arroyo, 2016
Carl J. Atkins, 2021
Emanuel Ax, 2021
Ethan Ayer, 1976
Milton Babbitt, 1972
Sherwin Badger, 1972
David Baker, 2006
Frank L. Battisti, 2012
Bethany Beardslee, 1994
Remo Belli, 2013
Arthur Berger, 1987
E. Power Biggs, 1965
Eubie Blake, 1974
Ran Blake, 2006
Art Blakey, 1989
Carla Bley, 2014
William Bolcom, 2001
Eric Booth, 2012
Deborah Borda, 2021
Joseph L. Bower, 2018
Anthony Braxton 2016
Alfred Brendel, 2009
Claire Brook, 1999
Bob Brookmeyer, 2008
John Brownlee, 1967
Richard Burgin, 1962
Kennett F. Burnes, 2022
Anner Bylsma, 1995
Sarah Caldwell, 1979
The Canadian Brass, 1992
Simon Carrington, 2014
Benny Carter, 1998
Elliott Carter, 1961
Ron Carter, 1999
Kyung Wha Chung, 2015
Robert Cogan, 2003
Freddy Cole, 2012
Ornette Coleman, 1992
Edward Cone, 1984
Francis Judd Cooke, 1974
Aaron Copland, 1977
John Corigliano, 2001
Elvis Costello, 2013
Alan Abel, 2012
Joseph Allard, 1987
Katja Andy, 1987
Jose Antonio Abreu, 2002
David Amram, 2022
Marian Anderson, 1964
Claudio Arrau, 1988
Martina Arroyo, 2016
Carl J. Atkins, 2021
Emanuel Ax, 2021
Ethan Ayer, 1976
Milton Babbitt, 1972
Sherwin Badger, 1972
David Baker, 2006
Frank L. Battisti, 2012
Bethany Beardslee, 1994
Remo Belli, 2013
Arthur Berger, 1987
E. Power Biggs, 1965
Eubie Blake, 1974
Ran Blake, 2006
Art Blakey, 1989
Carla Bley, 2014
William Bolcom, 2001
Eric Booth, 2012
Deborah Borda, 2021
Joseph L. Bower, 2018
Anthony Braxton 2016
Alfred Brendel, 2009
Claire Brook, 1999
Bob Brookmeyer, 2008
John Brownlee, 1967
Richard Burgin, 1962
Kennett F. Burnes, 2022
Anner Bylsma, 1995
Sarah Caldwell, 1979
The Canadian Brass, 1992
Simon Carrington, 2014
Benny Carter, 1998
Elliott Carter, 1961
Ron Carter, 1999
Kyung Wha Chung, 2015
Robert Cogan, 2003
Freddy Cole, 2012
Ornette Coleman, 1992
Edward Cone, 1984
Francis Judd Cooke, 1974
Aaron Copland, 1977
John Corigliano, 2001
Elvis Costello, 2013
Alan Abel, 2012
Joseph Allard, 1987
Katja Andy, 1987
Jose Antonio Abreu, 2002
David Amram, 2022
Marian Anderson, 1964
Claudio Arrau, 1988
Martina Arroyo, 2016
Carl J. Atkins, 2021
Emanuel Ax, 2021
Ethan Ayer, 1976
Milton Babbitt, 1972
Sherwin Badger, 1972
David Baker, 2006
Frank L. Battisti, 2012
Bethany Beardslee, 1994
Remo Belli, 2013
Arthur Berger, 1987
E. Power Biggs, 1965
Eubie Blake, 1974
Ran Blake, 2006
Art Blakey, 1989
Carla Bley, 2014
William Bolcom, 2001
Eric Booth, 2012
Deborah Borda, 2021
Joseph L. Bower, 2018
Anthony Braxton 2016
Alfred Brendel, 2009
Claire Brook, 1999
Bob Brookmeyer, 2008
John Brownlee, 1967
Richard Burgin, 1962
Kennett F. Burnes, 2022
Anner Bylsma, 1995
Sarah Caldwell, 1979
The Canadian Brass, 1992
Simon Carrington, 2014
Benny Carter, 1998
Elliott Carter, 1961
Ron Carter, 1999
Kyung Wha Chung, 2015
Robert Cogan, 2003
Freddy Cole, 2012
Ornette Coleman, 1992
Edward Cone, 1984
Francis Judd Cooke, 1974
Aaron Copland, 1977
John Corigliano, 2001
Elvis Costello, 2013
Alan Abel, 2012
Joseph Allard, 1987
Katja Andy, 1987
Jose Antonio Abreu, 2002
David Amram, 2022
Marian Anderson, 1964
Claudio Arrau, 1988
Martina Arroyo, 2016
Carl J. Atkins, 2021
Emanuel Ax, 2021
Ethan Ayer, 1976
Milton Babbitt, 1972
Sherwin Badger, 1972
David Baker, 2006
Frank L. Battisti, 2012
Bethany Beardslee, 1994
Remo Belli, 2013
Arthur Berger, 1987
E. Power Biggs, 1965
Eubie Blake, 1974
Ran Blake, 2006
Art Blakey, 1989
Carla Bley, 2014
William Bolcom, 2001
Eric Booth, 2012
Deborah Borda, 2021
Joseph L. Bower, 2018
Anthony Braxton 2016
Alfred Brendel, 2009
Claire Brook, 1999
Bob Brookmeyer, 2008
John Brownlee, 1967
Richard Burgin, 1962
Kennett F. Burnes, 2022
Anner Bylsma, 1995
Sarah Caldwell, 1979
The Canadian Brass, 1992
Simon Carrington, 2014
Benny Carter, 1998
Elliott Carter, 1961
Ron Carter, 1999
Kyung Wha Chung, 2015
Robert Cogan, 2003
Freddy Cole, 2012
Ornette Coleman, 1992
Edward Cone, 1984
Francis Judd Cooke, 1974
Aaron Copland, 1977
John Corigliano, 2001
Elvis Costello, 2013
