BCA-011: Berklee Oral History Project

Marti Epstein, composer and Professor of Composition at Berklee College of Music, discusses her early music experiences growing up in Nebraska, her transition to studying composition, memorable teachers, and her experience as a Tanglewood Fellow, especially working with composer Leonard Bernstein. Epstein describes her early years as a professor at Berklee in the 1990s and her approach to teaching composition. She also relates her experiences teaching at the Boston Conservatory, the Conservatory’s merger with the College, and the changes she’s observed at both Berklee and within the Composition department over the course of her career. In particular, Epstein addresses Berklee’s recent sexual harassment headlines and resultant cultural shifts on campus. She also talks about her creative process, her compositions—including a puppet opera—her experiences on the Berklee faculty union, and various former students.