Berklee is proud to present B4: Black, Brown, and Bound for Berklee, an in-person, fly-in program designed to provide talented scholars from historically underrepresented and underserved communities with a transformative “day in the life” of a Berklee student experience.
This exclusive program is free to accepted participants including travel, housing, and meals. The program takes place June 23–June 29, 2024 on Berklee’s Boston campus. Participants will arrive on June 23 and spend their stay getting to know one another and our community while living in Berklee housing, shadowing students, attending classes and special events, and learning about Berklee’s resources, clubs, and admissions process. Students will depart on June 29. We welcome applications from scholars interested in learning more about Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
To be considered for the program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Be between the ages of 14–16 at the time of the program . Currently have a grade point average of 2.5 or above. Be a U.S. citizen, DACA recipient, permanent resident, or a non-citizen U.S. national. Have a passion for the music industry and the performing arts. The application to the June 23–29, 2024 B4 event is now closed. Please check next spring for updates on when the 2025 B4 application will open.
Review the B4 schedule of events for this year's program.
Day 1: Sunday, June 23, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Check-In 160 Massachusetts Avenue, Lobby 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Icebreakers 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Natara Gray, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Housing Meeting 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Opening Dinner Karen Bell, Associate Dean, Professional Performance Division
Day 2: Monday, June 24, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Breakfast 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room 10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Icebreakers 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room Natara Gray, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. What is B4? Lecture 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room Natara Gray, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Lunch 1140 Boylston Street, Steve Heck Room 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Undergraduate Information Session 1140 Boylston Street, Steve Heck Room 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Campus Tour 1140 Boylston Street, Steve Heck Room 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Career Center Workshop 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Tyren Freeman, Assistant Director, Career Engagement and Advising 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner 132 Ipswich Street, IP106 David Bogen, Interim President and Provost Betsy Newman, Interim Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President of Student Enrollment and Engagement Michael Shinn, Interim Executive Director Stefanie Henning, Associate Vice President, Career Strategy and Services Damien Bracken, Dean of Admissions Emmett G. Price III, Dean of Africana Studies 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Group Social Activities 132 Ipswich Street, IP106
Day 3: Tuesday, June 25, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Breakfast 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Major Resource Fair 160 Massachusetts Avenue, Upstairs Caf Berklee College of Music Faculty Boston Conservatory at Berklee Faculty 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m. What is Imposter Syndrome? Lecture 160 Massachusetts Avenue, Upstairs Caf Natara Gray, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment 12:15 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Campus Life Session 160 Massachusetts Avenue TaLaya Clanton, Associate Director of Student Involvement Ashley Kaminski, Assistant Director of New Student and Family Programs Loren Glaser, Director of Campus Life 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Advising Hour 1108 Boylston St. Classrooms 217, 317, and 321 Tyler Kinnear, Assistant Director, Career Engagement and Programs Grace Bush, Career Services Advisor 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Lunch 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Stage Presence in the Arts Masterclass 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Damien Bracken, Dean of Admissions 4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Group Project 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Emily Sangder, Assistant Director of Admissions, BCM Sarah Nichols, Assistant Director of Admissions, BCB Christina Junga, Assistant Director, Recruitment Experience Mary Catherine Donovan, Assistant Director of Admission Services Renee Leblanc, Assistant Director of Admission Services Luis Portalatin, Assistant Director, A&I/Recruitment Experience Destiny Wilkey, Assistant Director, A&I/Recruitment Experience 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Break 160 Massachusetts Avenue 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Dinner 160 Massachusetts Avenue
Day 4: Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Breakfast 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Core Music Breakout Session 7 Haviland, Room 306 Ayeisha Mathis, Assistant Professor, Harmony and Jazz Composition Yulia Musayelyan, Assistant Chair, Ear Training Tyrone Chase, Assistant Chair, Ensemble 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Dance Breakout Session 132 Ipswich, Room 316 Francois Noel, Assistant Professor of Dance 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m Lunch 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m Music Business Lecture 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Tonya Butler, Chair, Music Business/Management 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m Finding Your Unique Voice Workshop 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Dan Callaway, Assistant Professor of Voice 3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m Networking Session 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room Berklee College of Music faculty and staff Boston Conservatory at Berklee faculty and staff 7:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m. MJ the Musical Citizens Opera House
Day 5: Thursday, June 27, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Community Building Breakfast 1140 Boylston Street, Steve Heck Room Emmett G. Price III, Dean of Africana Studies 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Music Therapy Workshop 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Cynthia Koskela, Clinical Director Brenda Ross, Community and Partner Engagement Director Joy Allen, Chair, Music Therapy Rob Moore, Department Coordinator Tiffany Munroe, Guest Speaker 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Final Jam Project Check-In 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Class Act Lunch 939 Boylston Street, 3rd floor, the Loft Rashard Dobbins, Executive Director of Class Act Detroit 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Screen Scoring Breakout Session 160 Mass Ave, Studio 1 (Shames) Sean McMahon, Chair, Screen Scoring 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Theater Breakout Session 150 Massachusetts Avenue, B41 Theresa Lang, Professor of Theater 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Student Ambassador Panel 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room Alex Noyola, Student Coordinator, D&I Recruitment 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Break 160 Massachusetts Avenue, TBD 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Apollo Night 132 Ipswich Street, IP106 Damien Bracken, Dean of Admissions Sarah Nichols, Assistant Director of Admissions Francois Noel, Assistant Professor of Dance Theresa Lang, Professor of Theater Arin Canbolat, Associate Dean, EOSE
Day 6: Friday, June 28, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Songwriting Breakfast and Workshop
160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room Rodney Alejandro, Chair, Songwriting, Berklee Online Mazbou Q, Visiting Artist 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Music Production Breakout Session
132 Ipswich, Room 316 Prince Charles Alexander, Professor, Music Production and Engineering 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Musical Theater Breakout Session 132 Ipswich, Room 316 Ramone Owens, Assistant Professor of Theater Michelle Chasse, Professor of Theater Theresa Lang, Professor of Theater 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Financial Literacy Lecture 132 Ipswich, Room 316 Kathy Anderson, Associate Vice President of Student Financial Services 12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break 132 Ipswich, Room 316 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Lunch 132 Ipswich, Room 106 2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Berklee College of Music Audition Prep 132 Ipswich, Room 106 Ron Reid, Associate Professor, Contemporary Writing and Production Damien Bracken, Dean of Admissions 2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Boston Conservatory at Berklee Music Audition Prep 132 Ipswich, Room 204 Matthew Marsit, Chair of Instrumental Studies 2:30p.m.–4:30 p.m. Boston Conservatory at Berklee Theater and Dance Audition Prep 132 Ipswich, Room 316 Francois Noel, Assistant Professor of Dance 4:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Final Jam Prep Time 160 Massachusetts Avenue 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. The Final Jam Performance 132 Ipswich Street, IP106
Day 7: Saturday, June 29, 2024 Time Event Location Presenters 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Move-Out 160 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd floor, Eisenson Room
For any questions or concerns please contact b4@berklee.edu for assistance.
