Rodney Alejandro Named Dean of Professional Writing and Music Technology
Image by Kenneth Adams
Berklee College of Music has named Rodney Alejandro BM ’97 the new dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division, starting September 23. He will succeed Matthew Nicholl, who has led the division since 2019.
Alejandro has chaired the Songwriting Department at Berklee since 2022, following two years as an associate professor at the college. Under his leadership, the songwriting curriculum has evolved to keep pace with rapid shifts in the music industry. He has also emphasized expanding career paths for songwriting majors and developed writing camps that connect students with influential publishers and record labels.
At the age of 19, Alejandro launched his professional career, signing his first major label deal shortly after graduating high school. In the more than three decades since, he has worked in the studio and performed on stage with many of the biggest names in music, including Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Quincy Jones ’51, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Luis Fonsi, Selena, will.i.am, Destiny’s Child, and the Script, an Irish rock band with whom he toured internationally as keyboardist and musical director.
Alejandro has contributed as a songwriter, producer, composer, arranger, engineer, and instrumentalist to several Grammy- and Latin Grammy–nominated projects from artists such as the Temptations and Olga Tañon. He also worked on the Kumbia Kings album 4, which won Latin Pop Album of the Year at the 2004 Billboard Music Awards. He was the main title composer/producer for the Golden Globe–winning drama series The Shield, and his music can also be heard on Emmy-winning Smallville, as well as long-running programs like Extra and Access Hollywood.
“I am excited to announce that Berklee alumnus Rodney Alejandro has been appointed as the new dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division,” said Ron Savage, vice president and executive director, Berklee College of Music. “An accomplished songwriter and composer for TV and film, Rodney brings leadership and professional skills that have been honed by years of success in the music industry. His deep industry connections and innovative approach to music education will lead us into this new chapter for the division.”
“I am honored to have been chosen as the dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division at Berklee College of Music,” said Alejandro. “As the first person of Latino and African American heritage to hold this position, I am excited to partner with the division's chairs, faculty, staff, and student body. Our collective efforts will focus on furthering the convergence of music and technology, cultivating a culture of innovation and growth within this evolving field, and reinforcing Berklee's position as a leader in contemporary music education.”
Alejandro graduated with summa cum laude honors as a double major in contemporary writing and production and music production and engineering. He also holds a master’s degree in entertainment business from Full Sail University, where he graduated as valedictorian.
As a professional educator, Alejandro has given speeches and master classes on performance, songwriting, and music production at various colleges worldwide, and he has served on the boards of nonprofit arts and education organizations in both the United States and Mexico. In 2006, Berklee honored him as the college’s alumnus of the year, and in 2011, he was recognized as music education advocate of the year by the Recording Academy’s Texas Chapter, where he continues to serve on the board and as the co-chair of the Songwriters and Composers Wing.