Maya Phelan

Pronouns Used: She/Her/Hers

Hometown: Burlington, Vermont

Principal Instrument: Voice

Majors: Music Therapy

Minors: Psychology

Describe your favorite Berklee experience so far.

I work as a tour guide on campus, and I absolutely love meeting prospective students and their families. I was given the opportunity to represent the Music Therapy Department at a student panel event, and I was so excited to share the things I love about the major. 

When you think about your favorite class so far, what is one example of why you enjoyed it?

My favorite class so far has been Receptive Methods. It quickly became after this one class where we studied musical games and the impact that they have in different settings. As a class we played with one of the old school parachutes we used in elementary school gym. We laughed so hard and Dr. Flight made that class so enjoyable. 

What is your favorite part about studying and living in Boston? 

I'm from a small town so living and studying in Boston is such a change in pace and I love it so much. My favorite part about Boston is the amount of young people who are going to school here, and making friends with people at other colleges. Also, the opportunities for fun are endless. 

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone applying to Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee?

My biggest piece of advice for someone applying to Berklee would be to be yourself and to have a plan for your audition and be prepared. Practice as much as you need to feel confident in your audition material. As long as you stay true to yourself as a person and musician, you'll be set up for success. 

Where is your favorite place on campus?

My favorite place on campus would have to be the PI rooms in 1140. I love the intimacy of having the privacy to learn and explore on your instrument with your PI. I got lucky and had the best PI professor and took her for four semesters. She gave me the freedom to just be and her room soon became such a safe space for me. 

Why did you choose Berklee?

I chose Berklee because I loved the location of the school and I was so excited about the multitude of opportunities here. I feel like Berklee was one of the only schools that had this many resources, as well as giving opportunities to non-performance majors. While I want to pursue music therapy, I didn't want to miss out on performance opportunities, and I wanted to continue to develop as an artist. 

What are your plans for after graduation?

My plan is to work as a music therapist in hospice and palliative care! Even further down the line, I plan to get my doctorate degree and start my own private practice for creative therapies. 

What have you enjoyed most about the live shows you’ve been involved in at Berklee?

I love getting to work with new musicians and seeing the show evolve from the beginning to the end. I also love getting to share the hard work with my friends and family at the show. 

Where do you hope to perform this coming year?

I hope to perform at either the David Friend or the BPC this year in one of the showcases Berklee is putting on. I also am looking forward to continuing to gig at various locations throughout the year. 

Your social media channel/web URL?

Instagram: @_mayaphelan