Wed, May 29
When she first arrived on NEC's campus, accomplished jazz clarinetist and recent graduate Jahnvi Madan ’24 had never composed a piece of music before. Remarkably, just a few years later, she became the youngest musician to be commissioned by Seattle's Earshot Jazz to create a new original composition for its 2023 Festival. As an Indian-American woman who grew up seeing very little representation of herself in media, especially in the arts, Jahnvi embeds her identity and experiences into her music — and her compositions are resonating widely.
Mon, May 20
Whether performing with the Gospel Ensemble, hosting events for the Center for Cultural Equity and Belonging, or songwriting with this spring's electronic-inspired CMA Honors Ensemble, redbird, Yifei Zhou ’22, ’24 MM has been deeply engrained within NEC's community since her first undergraduate semester. Having just graduated with her Master of Music, she reflects on her musical growth at NEC and the people and experiences that shaped this formative time.
Mon, May 20
New England Conservatory celebrated the graduating class of 2024 on Sunday, May 19, in historic Jordan Hall during a ceremony for graduates, family, and friends. Honorary degrees were awarded to legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon ’24 hon. DM, soprano Dawn Upshaw ’24 hon. DM, and conductor Robert Spano ’24 hon. DM, with remarks from Simon along with NEC President Andrea Kalyn, Alumni Speaker Lina González-Granados ’14 MM, ’15 GD, and Student Speaker June Chung ’24 MM.
Mon, May 13
On Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. in NEC’s historic Jordan Hall, more than 200 graduating students will receive their diplomas following remarks from Commencement Speaker Paul Simon, Alumni Speaker Lina Gonzáles-Granados ’14 MM, ’15 GD, and Student Speaker June Chung ’24 MM; honorary degree conferments upon Simon, Dawn Upshaw, and Robert Spano; and performances from a New Orleans-style jazz ensemble and a CMA folk ensemble.
Mon, April 22
In faculty member Jill Gatlin's course Climate Change Culture and Performance Practicum, part of NEC's Integrative Curriculum, students gained an understanding of climate science, the sociology and geography of climate injustice, representations of climate change in art, and methods of engaging audiences across the arts — and this was just one-half of their coursework. They also acquired invaluable professional skills through the project-based Performance Practicum, in which they used their new knowledge to design, produce, market, and execute a live concert in collaboration with their peers titled
What Washes Over: Sounds of Climate Grief and Action.