Boston Globe this morning:
Yes, I posted that earlier. What do you think? Good thing? Not a good thing?
How funny that we both posted it! I think it is an interesting idea in bringing dancers and musical theater to Berklee, and maybe more classical resources, and of course Berklee offers a lot the other way. I wonder how it will affect NEC.
And then there’s Longy, too. I think it’s probably a good thing?
We visited Boston conservatory about 5 years ago. I do remember being struck by how aged the facilities felt. The tour was nice and we heard some beautiful music during the tour but I couldn’t help feeling like it may be lacking in financial support. We also visited Emerson college as my daughter was considering MT and it was all shiny and new feeling. They kept telling us about all the donations from alumni in the film industry. Then we went to Boston conservatory and at one point I could see through the warping wood floor. It was kind of sad. We later saw a show there that was terrific so regardless they obviously do a good job. Their endowments are very different. I hope it’s a positive.
BOCO (as it is called in the area) just completed a huge building project and the new building looks gorgeous. I think it is interesting that BOCO and Berklee are both in the top 10 of expensive colleges nationwide. I suspect the real reason for the merger is to save money and share faculty and make it more appealing for adjuncts. I doubt it will impact NEC that much as NEC is sort of it’s own thing and all these institutions are already competing in some form or another.
The Partners of the arts.
It probably would be a win win, given the very different nature of the two programs , Berklee brings the Jazz/contemporary music, while BOCO brings the classical/traditional focus, and there could be interesting synergy. I doubt it will affect NEC, NEC is its own entity with its own dynamics, and I think a merged school would be different from that.
I personally think there will be some effects on NEC.
BOCO also has dance and MT. Berklee has production, film scoring, etc, lots of offerings. The combo will be pretty comprehensive.
I am not sure what is up with Longy, Spirit Manager. It never really comes up on this forum. Bard has grad programs in music ed, am I right? The undergrad diploma program is still going. The prep is gone. Would be interested in hearing more. I live right down the street!
In a sense, with the merger Berklee and BOCO would be more like Juilliard in some ways (and more advanced in contemporary music, given that Juilliard has near zip in that regards), add in MT and it makes Berklee a more rounded performing arts program with the merger. BOCO actually is probably at this point known more for its dance and MT program, their classical program is pretty small and is not on the level of NEC. NEC already in a sense competes with Berklee, because NEC has a Jazz program, but I think the reality of the merger is that at its core, it will still be a very different school than NEC is.
Of course it will be different. That doesn’t mean it won’t have an effect.
What effect compmom?? Teachers already teach at multiple institutions in the Boston area. If I believed that Berklee would now offer some of it’s adjunct faculty full time positions with full benefits then maybe it would have an impact, because those people would then not teach at NEC. But knowing Berklee I doubt that will happen. If anything NEC might become an even more desirable employer because it is smaller and more personable while Berklee is a large organization. Berklee has already trumped NEC when it comes to it’s facilities and technology. This merger will simply expand their performance spaces and dormitories. NEC has never been able to compete with that and never will. On the other hand NEC takes a very different approach to musicality and teaching of musicians. Finally students at Berklee and BOCO have always been able to cross register because they are part of the College of the Fenway Consortium (which NEC is not).
I have no idea specifically but none of these schools exists in a vacuum. I guess I had in mind some of the positives you mentioned, as well as the possibility that certain kids (iwth multi-faceted interests for instance) applying to music schools will be attracted to the larger merged entity (and certain kids will still be attracted to the smaller, well-regarded, more focused NEC). We know teachers who teach at 2 out of 3 of these schools already, yes.
I am so used to driving through that area with those 3 separate entities in mind, now one big one and one little one. In reality not a big change perhaps- in practice. We’ll see what happens with perceptions.
My other kid is a dancer. The availability of dance, theater, MT, film work as well as classical, jazz and contemporary music makes the area very enticing indeed. That alone can boost all three schools.
Again I had nothing particular in mind other than they are all so close and change has a way of having unexpected ripple effects. I was interested in what people thought.
I suspect when you say will this change NEC, most people including myself took it to mean that with Berklee and Boston Conservatory merged, would the combined school force them to compete or change to attract students who otherwise would go to the combined school and in that light, I suspect not. In one sense Berklee and NEC compete in one specific area, Jazz, but knowing the little I do of the two programs, they are different enough in culture and vibe that I suspect kids would have a black and white choice. In terms of classical performance, I don’t think it would affect NEC much, if for the fact that BOCO is a very different program and level. I think Berklee and Boco would change the most, Berklee with its bent towards contemporary music and jazz, would offer a lot of synergy with the dance and MT programs, natural collaboration, probably a lot more than at the other programs I am familiar with that have such diverse offerings, based on what i know about Berklee’s culture.
No, I didn’t see NEC intentionally changing or consciously competing.