Jonathan Perkins

"For students, developing hit songs and understanding the industry standard is a delicate balance between individual expression and absorbing a language that millions of people hear and to which they are accustomed. It is my hope that students will walk away with a better discernment of where exactly this balance lies through careful song-crafting and the development of critical listening skills."

"Collaboration is a major component of the professional music industry experience, be it in songwriting, producing, scoring, or arranging, and so on. In addition, the career of a songwriter and producer is a hard but exciting road, and requires hard work just as much as it does talent and practice. I teach a method that encourages a great deal of both, coming from my background: the ability to listen and collaborate well, and to understand the rigor of working harder (and later) than everyone around you."

"The Songwriting Department is not only one of the first of its kind, but has continued to stay ahead of the curve while other music schools are just beginning to catch on to the art and craft of songwriting. Some of the biggest names in recent music industry history have all been songwriters: Claude Kelly, Makeba Riddick-Woods, Justin Tranter, Charlie Puth, John Mayer, etc. You'd be hard pressed to find another school with this kind of pedigree."

"Berklee trains musicians in disciplines beyond what many other conservatories and music schools are used to, encapsulating a variety of genres ranging from Afro-Peruvian jazz to Persian maqam or Indian raga. This melting pot approach creates an atmosphere of experimentation and true musical camaraderie not found in too many other places in the collegial world. Berklee also boasts a relationship to and understanding of the contemporary music industry unlike any other school, truly preparing students for a real career if they should so choose and work for it."