New England Conservatory of Music: A Legacy of Notable Alumni
Since its founding, the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) has fostered an environment of innovation, artistic cultivation, and adaptation, producing graduates who have made significant contributions across the musical landscape. With over 13,000 alumni worldwide, NEC's legacy is evident in the diverse achievements of its graduates, from winning prestigious awards to holding positions in top orchestras and premiering compositions globally. NEC alumni have the ability to innovate, continuously cultivate their artistry, and adapt to the evolving world of music.
A Hub for Contemporary Musical Arts
Since its founding in 1972 (under the name “Third Stream”), the New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Musical Arts department has been delving deep into ear training, learning to cross boundaries, pushing limits, and finding their own musical voices. As we celebrate 50 years of the program, it seems fitting to look back and take stock of those voices.
Trailblazers in Genre-Bending
Don Byron, an alumnus of the Contemporary Musical Arts department, exemplifies this spirit. A prolific and creative figure, Byron has ventured into diverse styles, including klezmer, art song, opera, and swing, showcased in his tribute to Raymond Scott, Duke Ellington, and John Kirby, "Bug Music".
John Medeski, another NEC alumnus, has been a major force in groove-based improvisation since 1991, collaborating with Billy Martin and Chris Wood. His solo release, "A Different Time," reveals a more pensive side of his musicality.
Michael Winograd has risen to prominence in American klezmer, leading his band Honorable Mentshen-featuring NEC alums Dan Blacksberg, Zoe Christiansen, and Carmen Staaf-to virtuosity rivaling 20th-century masters.
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Dominique Eade, who arrived at NEC in 1978, shortly after the Third Stream department was founded by Gunther Schuller, with Ran Blake as chair, is celebrated for her powerful voice and innovative interpretations. Her collaborations with Ran Blake often draw on the Great American Songbook, with their project recorded in the wake of the 2016 election focusing on folk songs about poverty, the prison system, and other issues of disparity and injustice.
Nima Janmohammadi's album reflects his lifetime immersion in Persian classical music, emphasizing improvisation and playing from memory. Each track was recorded from beginning to end without editing, after intensive preparation, engaging with formal, melodic, and rhythmic “points of departure,”
Aoife O’Donovan, known for her work with Crooked Still and I’m With Her, has gained recognition for her creative singer-songwriter work, moving beyond traditional genre expectations. Her album weaves stories about childhood, loss, love, strength, and mortality.
Magdalena Abrego and Allison Burik, graduates of NEC in 2020, have become recognized figures in jazz and experimental music.
Grammy Recognition: A Testament to Excellence
The New England Conservatory's commitment to excellence is reflected in the numerous Grammy nominations and awards received by its alumni. Over 80 alumni and faculty members have been honored with 41 Grammy nominations.
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Lake Street Dive, featuring Rachael Price, Bridget Kearney, and Michael Calabrese, received a nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for "Good Together". Aoife O’Donovan was recognized with nominations for Best Folk Album for "All My Friends," with the title track nominated for Best American Roots Song. Christopher Zuar earned a nomination for Best Instrumental Composition for "Communion," recorded by the Christopher Zuar Orchestra.
Sean Hutchinson and Francisco Ojeda contributed to Sabrina Carpenter’s "Short n’ Sweet," nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Hutchinson also performed, alongside Nicholas Bootiman, on Taylor Swift’s "The Tortured Poets Department," which was nominated in the same category, with its lead single, “Fortnight,” nominated for Record of the Year. Zaccai Curtis received a nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album for "Cubop Lives!".
NEC alumni also played key roles in several orchestral and classical recordings that received nominations. The Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel and featuring María Dueñas, received Best Orchestral Performance, Best Classical Compendium, and Best Engineered Album, Classical nominations for Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina. The recording, which features the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Steve Pence, also received a nomination in the Best Contemporary Composition category. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, which includes violinists Jacqueline (Jacqui) Galluzzo, Shieh-Jian Tsai, Xiaofan Liu; flutist Natalie Debikey Scanio; clarinetist William Amsel, oboist Henry Ward, cellist Feng Hew, violist Matthew Phillips, and bassoonist Natalya Rose Vrbsky, received nominations in multiple categories for its recording of Lukas Foss’ Symphony No.
The San Francisco Symphony, led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Orchestral Performance category for its recording of Stravinsky’s The Firebird. NEC alumni who contributed to these recordings include violinists Qianwen Angela Shen, Jeremías Sergiani-Velázquez, Yiliang Jiang, and Katherine T. Violinist Kobi Malkin and double-bassist Nathaniel Chase recorded with the Experiential Orchestra, which was nominated in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category along with Curtis J.
Soprano Amanda Forsythe and violinist Susanna Perry Gilmore are featured on a recording by Jeannette Sorrell and Apollo’s Fire of Handel’s Israel in Egypt. Maren Montalbano Brehm and Rebecca Myers appear on Orchre, a recording by Donald Nally and The Crossing, which includes former Expanded Education student Barbara Hill. Matthew Guard’s Clear Voices in the Dark was nominated in the Best Choral Performance and Best Engineered Album, Classical categories. The album features the Skylark Vocal Ensemble, which includes mezzo-soprano Carrie Cheron and soprano Sarah Moyer.
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Sean Hutchinson was an engineer on Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, including the single “Manchild.” The album was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. The single was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Eli Teplin was a songwriter on “Go Baby.” The song appears on Justin Bieber’s SWAG, which was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Teplin was also a songwriter on tracks that appear on Bon Iver’s SABLE, fABLE and Hayley Williams’s Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.
Michael Repper and the National Philharmonic were nominated in the Best Orchestral Performance and Best Classical Instrumental Solo categories for an album of music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, including his Toussaint l’Ouverture, Ballade Op. 4, and Suites from 24 Negro Melodies. Adam Tendler’s Inheritances was nominated in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category. Han Chen was nominated in the same category for a performance of Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement.
Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra were nominated in the Best Orchestral Performance category for a recording of Messiaen’s Turangalîla-Symphonie. Members of the BSO at the time of the recording include violinists Jenny Ahn, Glen Cherry, John Holland, Jason Horowitz, Zenas Hsu, Julianne Lee, Haldan Martinson, Kina Park, Caroline Pliszka, and Sophie Wang; violists Nathaniel Farny, Mary Ferrillo, Stephanie Fong, Daniel Getz, and Steven O. Laraia; cellists Blaise Déjardin, Jonah Ellsworth, and Mickey Katz; double-bassists Benjamin Levy and Dennis Roy; horn player Michael Winter; percussionist Matthew McKay; and assistant conductor Earl Lee.
Jazz vocalist Luciana Souza was nominated as a soloist on Anne Akiko Meyers’s recording of Billy Childs’s In the Arms of the Beloved with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Grant Gershon. Members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic include violinists Chao-Hua Jin, Rebecca Reale, Melody Ye Yuan, and Weilu Zhang; assistant principal cellist Dahae Kim; assistant principal trumpeter Christopher Still; and percussionist Matthew Howard.
Kwamé Ryan and the Houston Grand Opera were nominated in the Best Opera Recording category for a performance of Jake Heggie’s Intelligence. Members of the Houston Grand Opera orchestra include flutist Tyler Martin and clarinetist Eric Chi. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Metropolitan Opera were nominated in the same category for a recording of Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded. Members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra include violinists Katherine Fong, Yiliang Jiang, Jeremias Sergiani-Valazquez, and Qianwen Shen; flutist Seth Morris; principal piccolo player Stephanie Mortimore; horn player Molly Norcross; and principal harpist Hannah Cope.
Notable Alumni Across Genres and Professions
NEC's influence extends beyond classical music, with alumni making significant contributions in various genres and professions.
- Politics and Activism: Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr., was an author, activist, and civil rights leader. Luis A. Ferré served as the governor of Puerto Rico and founded the New Progressive Party. Rose Kennedy was an American philanthropist, socialite, and matriarch of the Kennedy family.
- Film and Theater: Walter Pidgeon, a Canadian-American actor, was a leading man during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Josephine Hull was an American stage and film actress. Hettienne Park is an American actress and writer.
- Jazz and Popular Music: Rick Beato is an American YouTube personality, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and educator. Rachael Price is a jazz and blues singer, known for her work with Lake Street Dive. Bernie Worrell was a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic. Freddy Cole was an American jazz singer and pianist. Dave Holland is an English double bassist, composer, and bandleader. John Medeski is an American jazz keyboard player and composer. Regina Carter is an American jazz violinist.
- Classical Music: Herbert Blomstedt is a Swedish conductor of classical music. Florence Price was an American classical composer, pianist, and music teacher. Cecil Taylor was an American pianist and poet. Halim El-Dabh was an Egyptian-American composer, musician, and ethnomusicologist. Eric Lu is an American classical pianist. Stephen Gould was an American heldentenor.
- Other Fields: Eleanor H. Porter was an American novelist, best known for the Pollyanna series. Anton Fig is a South African session drummer. Carl Davis was an American-born British conductor and composer. Mabel Loomis Todd was an American editor and writer. Denyce Graves is an American mezzo-soprano opera singer. Sean Callery is an American musician and composer. Deke Sharon is an American singer, arranger, composer, and teacher of a cappella music. Ralph Burns was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. George Li is an American concert pianist. Monir Vakili was an Iranian soprano. Bridget Kearney is an American musician and songwriter. Jaimie Branch was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. Fred Hersch is an American jazz pianist, composer, and academic musician. Rita Johnson was an American actress. Joseph Douglass was an American concert violinist. Neal E. Boyd was an American singer who developed an interest in opera. Vaughn Monroe was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader.
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