Updates from the Executive Director

September Update

Dear Berklee Family,

The start of the academic year is always exciting and this year did not disappoint! We welcomed over 300 new students from 48 countries, including our largest class of First Year Abroad students. We also have our largest number of post-master’s students in Valencia this fall. These are students who graduated from Berklee Valencia in July and who are remaining on campus to work on a project, take a class, and have access to the facilities. It is such a pleasure to see all these amazing and talented students on campus.

A big change this fall is that our undergraduate students are in a new residence hall: MiCampus. This facility is closer to campus than our previous residence hall, making it more convenient for students. It is close to many amenities, including a grocery store and pharmacy, which are both within a block of campus. It is also less than a 10-minute walk from the hospital that our students use. The residence hall has great common areas, including a large, enclosed courtyard, a laundry room, a storage room for bikes and e-scooters, study areas, and a practice room. We are excited to have this exceptional space for our students to live and come together. 

In terms of activities, our Lago de Concierto series, a weekly outdoor concert series in September and October, kicked off with a faculty concert. Since then, we have been fortunate to hear incredible performances from four student bands each night. Performers have ranged from First Year Abroad students to those in our post-master program

Activities for our undergraduate students have commenced, with a sunset boat cruise as well as a trip to the Xàtiva Castle and the Ducal Palace in Gandia. Professional development events on campus have started, including a session on time-management, offered by our International Career Center, and a session on Intellectual Property for students in the master's in Contemporary Performance (Production Concentration) as well as those in Music Production, Technology, and Innovation. And our first guest speakers have come to campus, including Rosana Corbacho and Japanese DJ and record producer Satoshi Tomiie, to talk about the specific challenges and pressures of a career in music.

Today, as I write this message, it is the first day of cooler weather in Valencia and it looks like this trend will continue. I am sure our students will appreciate the break in the heat and the normally wonderful weather that October and November bring. 

I look forward to updating you soon and wish you all the best.