Berklee Alumni and Faculty Nominated for 2020 Emmy Awards

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences nominated 14 Berklee alumni, including Pablo Munguía, program director at Berklee's campus in Valencia, Spain, and Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones ’09, for eight Emmy awards. The nominees were recognized for their sound mixing, sound editing, composing, and acting contributions to several of the industry’s biggest programs and events, including the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, Silicon Valley, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Space Force, Better Call Saul, and more.

Pinar Toprak B.M. ’00 and Alex Kovacs B.M. ’08 were nominated for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special for “Episode 1” of HBO’s acclaimed miniseries McMillion$. Toprak visited the college last fall to discuss her two-decade career in the film scoring industry, including making history as the first woman to score a superhero film, Captain Marvel.

Munguía, director of the Master of Music in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation program, was nominated twice in the Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special category for his work on the 62nd Grammy Awards and the Academy Awards broadcasts. He has been nominated for 24 Emmys throughout his career and won six, most recently in 2017.

Bobby Mackston ’81 was nominated twice in the category of Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation; he was recognized for his role as supervising sound editor/ADR editor for “The Launch” episode of Netflix’s Space Force, and as the sound supervisor on the “Exit Event” episode of HBO’s Silicon Valley. Joe Deveau ’98 was also nominated for the same episode of Silicon Valley for his role as music editor. Stephanie McNally B.M. ’10, music editor for The Mandalorian, was nominated in the same category. 

Grammy-winning performer and Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones ’09 received her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her performance as Tyisha in the Quibi web series #FreeRayshawn.

The 70th annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 20, at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.

Below is a full list of Berklee alumni Emmy Award nominees. Please note the list is subject to change as we receive updated information.

Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

• Pinar Toprak B.M. ’00 and Alex Kovacs B.M. ’08 for “Episode 1," McMillion$ (HBO)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

• Bobby Mackston ’81, sound supervisor, and Joe Deveau ’98, music editor, for “Exit Event,” Silicon Valley (HBO)
• Bobby Mackston ’81, supervising sound editor/ADR editor, for “The Launch," Space Force (Netflix)
• Stephanie McNally B.M. ’10, music editor, for "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian," The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

• Matt Temple B.M. ’89, sound effects editor, and Jason Newman B.M. ’99, music editor, for “Bagman,” Better Call Saul (AMC)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

• Phil McGowan B.M. ’09, CAS, scoring mixer, for “All In,” Ozark (Netflix)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special

• Luke Gibleon B.M. ‘07, sound effects editor, and Bryant J. Fuhrmann B.M. ’10, music editor, for El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program

• Sal Ojeda B.M. '09, re-recording mixer, for "I'm That Bitch," RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1) 

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special

• Pablo Munguía B.M. ‘97, prerecorded music mixer, for the 62nd Grammy Awards broadcast (CBS)
• Pablo Munguía B.M. ‘97, Pro Tools mixer, for the Academy Awards broadcast (ABC)
• Brian Riordan B.M. ’95, rerecording mixer, for Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

• Jasmine Cephas Jones ’09, #FreeRayshawn (Quibi)

Watch an interview with Pinar Toprak B.M. ’00: