Institutes

At Berklee, you'll encounter a wide range of musicians and genres, and, therefore, endless opportunities to explore every corner of the contemporary music universe. Berklee provides 12 institutes that allow you to deepen your focus in particular areas. Students participating in these programs will enjoy a range of multidisciplinary studies concentrating on history, performance, composition, improvisation, the social power of music, and many other topics. 

• American Roots Music Program

  This program explores America's musical and cultural heritage, focusing on styles such as country, folk, bluegrass, Cajun, Tex-Mex, and others. The curriculum focuses on ensemble playing and nontraditional improvisation, and will present visiting artists, concerts, and symposiums. Matt Glaser is the artistic director.

• Berklee Global Jazz Institute

  This is a performance program in which students are given opportunities to explore their creativity and musicianship to the highest level possible, advance the social power of music as a tool for the betterment of society, and connect musical creative thinking with the natural environment. Danilo Pérez is the artistic director. 

• Berklee India Exchange

  Berklee India Exchange (BIX) celebrates the spirit of India through innovative arts experiences that entertain, educate, and engage. Under the leadership of Annette Philip, artistic director, BIX harnesses India’s rich heritage of music and entrepreneurial DNA to provide students with unique performance and touring opportunities, industry-relevant workshops, career pathways, financial assistance, and mentorship. Building collaborative dynamism between Berklee, India, and the world, BIX projects foster global industry relationships while specifically supporting music education in India through customized Berklee workshops, family counseling, and scholarships for students in the region. 

• Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education

  This institute is a catalyst for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of performing and visual arts education. The institute provides arts education programs for people with disabilities, academic programs and courses for graduate and undergraduate students, and professional development programs for educators and artists. Rhoda Bernard is the managing director. 

• Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship

  The fast-evolving music industry requires the next generation of leaders to be boldly creative and innovative. The Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE) provides learning and research opportunities, visiting lecturers, a company start-up accelerator, and more, all designed to inspire, educate, and launch the next generation of creative entrepreneurs. 

• Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice

  The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice focuses on equity in the jazz field and the role that jazz plays in the larger struggle for gender justice. Terri Lyne Carrington is the founder and artistic director.

• Berklee Interdisciplinary Arts Institute

  This institute provides an innovative opportunity for students to collaborate with artists across the globe and across disciplines, including dance, theater, video/sculpture installation, experimental performance, robotics, virtual reality, and other emerging genres. Neil Leonard is the artistic director. 

• Berklee Music and Health Institute

  The Berklee Music and Health Institute is focused on the intersection of music, medicine, and health, and partners with experts in medicine, academia, technology, and the music industry to share cutting-edge tools, programs, research, and practices. Joy Allen is the acting director.

• Berklee Popular Music Institute

  The Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) offers a minor in the business of live music, plus a unique three-semester experiential education program, BPMI Live, that takes students from the classroom to the festival stage. Participants in BPMI Live interface with all facets of the music industry, working in A&R, artist development, booking, promotion, social media, sponsorship, and live shows. Morgan Milardo is the managing director.

• Effortless Mastery Institute
  The Effortless Mastery Institute helps Berklee students reclaim their inner voice and their connection to music by teaching them how to overcome physical and mental obstacles that keep them from performing at their highest levels. Kenny Werner is the artistic director.
• Mediterranean Music Institute

  Music from the Mediterranean, with its non-Western instruments, tonal systems, and rhythmic forms, brings the promise of exciting new musical fusions and opportunities for both musicians and audiences. This program stimulates cultural exchange of the folk-based music traditions of the various regions of the Mediterranean, internationally promotes these traditions, and supports young and emerging talent from the area. Matthew Nicholl is the executive director, and Javier Limón is the artistic director. 

• Planet MicroJam Institute

  Planet MicroJam collides sonic aesthetics from our increasingly connected global village to create music that sounds like a Pan Yuliang or Yorozu Tetsugoro painting—a raw, powerful, and extremely colorful mix of Eastern and Western elements. David Fiuczynski is the artistic director.