BCA-011: Berklee Oral History Project interview collection

Established in 1998, the Berklee Oral History Project (BOHP) seeks to chronicle Berklee’s rich history from those who have lived, shaped, and defined it. In capturing the diverse experiences and perceptions of Berklee faculty, staff, and alumni, Berklee Archives seeks to document Berklee’s pedagogical contributions to music education, as well as the events and issues that have impacted the direction and identity of the institution.

This collection comprises video interviews from over 100 individuals closely associated with Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory, including faculty, staff, presidents, and alumni. Some early interviews also feature individuals unaffiliated with Berklee who were active in the Boston jazz community. Early interviews frequently focus more heavily on topics of jazz history, the Boston jazz community, and interviewees’ musical education and performance experiences; later interviews feature more significant discussion of the development of both institutions and their evolving cultural contexts.

Between 1998 and 2017, the majority of interviews were conducted by journalist and Berklee College of Music faculty member Fred Bouchard (Associate Professor, Liberal Arts), with additional interviews conducted by the following staff and faculty members: George S. Clinton, Marci Cohen, Mike Keefe-Feldman, Ron Reid, Ralph Rosen, and Richard Vacca. Since 2017, interviews have been conducted by editor, radio producer, and Berklee faculty member Rob Hochschild (Associate Professor, Liberal Arts).