Visiting Artists and Guest Speakers

Mary Spender

Mary Spender is an independent musician known for her DIY approach to music. With over 92 million views and 740,000 YouTube subscribers, she shares insights on the music industry and showcases her unique blend of jazz, blues, rock, folk, and Americana. Mary has released several successful projects, including the Lone Wolf EP, Songbook Volumes 1 & 2, and her debut album, Super. Sexy. Heartbreak. She prioritizes artist independence, engaging her fanbase through Patreon and physical releases.

Yvette Noel-Schure

Yvette Noel-Schure is a seasoned and respected industry veteran, and one of the top creative executives in the music PR business. She has developed press campaigns for a diverse roster of artists, including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Chloe X Halle, Prince, John Legend, and LeAnn Rimes, among others.

Victor Wooten

Berklee Performance Scholar-in-Residence Victor Wooten is a multiple Grammy Award–winner and a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. He has been called the most influential bassist of the last two decades. His recent release, Trypnotyx, features Bob Franceschini and Dennis Chambers in a trio format. 

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Zeltia Montes

Zeltia Montes is a Spanish composer nominated for a Goya Award in 2016 and a two-time winner of the Jerry Goldsmith Award for Best Composer. She creates music for film, TV, and documentaries and is passionate about songwriting, concert music, and sound design. Montes has received multiple recognitions, including nominations from the International Film Music Critics Association, the Catalan Academy, the Galician Academy, and the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Her music has also won awards at international festivals, such as the New York City International Film Festival and the Telly Awards.

Simone Torres

Simone Torres is a Grammy-nominated, Latin Grammy-honored engineer, vocal producer, and artist from New York. She has worked with artists like Becky G, Normani, Cardi B, and Dua Lipa. Notable credits include vocal producing "Coming Your Way" and engineering "I Like It." Torres has also contributed to projects like Purple Hearts (Netflix) and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. In 2024, she released her debut single, "BENT," and EP the thick of it. Outside the studio, she supports young women and gender-expansive individuals in music through workshops and mentorship.

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Will Anderson

With over a decade of experience in the music industry, Will Anderson is a leading promoter and curator of live music, currently promoting global artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae, Take That, AURORA, Jacob Collier, Ava Max, Vance Joy, and more, while also founding New Blood, a live series spotlighting emerging international talent in Madrid and Barcelona. Previously, Anderson spent 12 years in A&R at Virgin Records, EMI, and MTA Records, discovering and developing major artists such as Emeli Sandé and Naughty Boy, and executive-producing projects with Swedish House Mafia and deadmau5.

Christian Lohr

Christian Lohr is a multi-Gold, multi-Platinum, and Diamond award–winning producer and songwriter with over two decades of experience in the music industry. He has had long-term collaborations with artists like Joss Stone and Gianna Nannini, and has worked as a producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and mixer with renowned names such as Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, Donna Summer, and Brian May, among many others. A Berklee graduate with a dual major in music synthesis and piano performance, Lohr currently leads international songwriting workshops in both Holland and Brazil.

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Patrick Doyle

Patrick Doyle is a Scottish composer known for his film scores across a 50-year career. A frequent collaborator with Kenneth Branagh, he has composed music for over 60 films, including Henry V, Sense and Sensibility, Hamlet, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Thor, Brave, and Murder on the Orient Express. He has worked with directors Ang Lee, Alfonso Cuarón, and Brian De Palma, among others. Doyle has received two Academy Award and two Golden Globe nominations, among other accolades, and has won the Ivor Novello Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Soundtrack Awards.

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Suzie Collier

Suzie Collier is a renowned conductor, violinist, and educator. She has performed with the Britten Sinfonia and will soon conduct orchestras in the US. She’s also worked on projects like Jacob Collier’s Djesse Volume 4 and Stormzy’s orchestral Firebabe at Abbey Road. For over 30 years, she led the Chamber Orchestra at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, mentoring young musicians. Collier has performed with top orchestras and collaborates regularly with her son, Jacob Collier. Through Suzie Explores, she runs creative retreats and masterclasses at institutions like MIT. She also hosts a podcast featuring famous musicians. Collier is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM).

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Pieter Van Rijn

Pieter van Rijn is president of Downtown Music, overseeing its global business and professional services, including distribution, label services, publishing, neighboring rights, and sync licensing. Previously CEO of FUGA, he led the Amsterdam-based distributor through rapid global expansion, establishing hubs across EMEA, North America, LATAM, and APAC, and transforming it into a full-service music and technology company. A graduate of Erasmus University of Rotterdam and a former Sony-signed songwriter, van Rijn has also worked in corporate strategy and M&A. A frequent speaker and columnist, he has presented at SXSW, A2IM’s Indie Week, and ADE, and was named to Billboard’s 2022 Indie Power Players list.

Steve Bailey

Steve Bailey is an acclaimed American bassist and the chair of the Bass Department at Berklee College of Music. A pioneer of the fretless six-string bass, he has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Willie Nelson, Victor Wooten, Jethro Tull, and Dizzy Gillespie. His career spans performances, recordings, and education, having taught at Coastal Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Hollywood’s BIT. As a cofounder of Victor Wooten’s Bass/Nature Camp and co-creator of TheBassVault.com, Bailey is dedicated to bass education. His latest album, CAROLINA, features duets with renowned musicians, such as Ron Carter and Ian Anderson. He has also developed several signature bass models with Aria, Fender, and Warwick.

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Teresa Fernández-Valdez

Teresa Fernández-Valdés Calderón is a Spanish creator, showrunner, and executive producer of television series. She is the cofounder of Bambú Producciones (2008-2023), with productions such as Gran Hotel, Velvet, Fariña, Las Chicas del Cable, and Nacho. In 2024, she founded the production company Te espero en Marte.

Susan Rogers

Susan Rogers is an American professor, sound engineer, and record producer, best known for her work as Prince's staff engineer during his peak years, contributing to albums like Purple Rain and Sign o' the Times. She helped lay the foundation for Prince’s vault by cataloguing his recordings. Rogers has also worked with artists such as Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, Robben Ford, and Tricky. She is an associate professor at Berklee College of Music in the Music Production and Engineering and Liberal Arts departments, where she teaches students based on her vast industry experience.

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Christine Osazuwa

Originally from Baltimore, Christine Osazuwa got her start in music at the age of 15. She holds degrees in music, marketing, and data science and combined those passions into roles in data and marketing at Universal Music Sweden and Warner Music Group in London. Currently, Osazuwa is the chief strategy officer for the ticketing/event-marketing startup Shoobs, where she leads marketing and brand partnerships strategy. In addition, she sits on the boards of the LIVE Association, Indie Venue Week, and Keychange US. Osazuwa is also the founder of Measure of Music, an event that's part conference, part hackathon, introducing music and data to participants while highlighting majority-minority attendees and speakers.

Divinity Roxx

Divinity Roxx is a Grammy-nominated artist, composer, and musician with five solo albums. She toured as Beyoncé's bassist and musical director from 2006 to 2011 and has also performed with Victor Wooten. Roxx has appeared on major TV shows and performed at the White House under Presidents Obama and Biden. Her children's music includes Ready Set Go! (2021) and World Wide Playdate (2024), both Grammy-nominated, with songs adapted into picture books by Scholastic. An advocate for musicians' rights, she continues to empower and inspire through music and storytelling.

Thomas Newman

Thomas Montgomery Newman is an American composer, conductor, and orchestrator known for his extensive film scores over a career spanning more than four decades. His notable works include The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Finding Nemo, Skyfall, 1917, and Elemental. Newman also composed the music for the HBO series Six Feet Under and the miniseries Angels in America. He has collaborated with directors such as Robert Altman, Sam Mendes, and Steven Soderbergh.

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Portrait XO

Portrait XO (she/they) is a transdisciplinary artist, musician, researcher, and data activist focused on AI, computational creativity, and human-machine collaboration. She has received multiple awards, including the jazzki Award by ELBJAZZ (2023) and the VUT Indie Award for Best Experiment (2021), and has worked with AI audio pioneers like Dadabots. Her AI audiovisual art has developed through residencies at NEW NOW FESTIVAL, BBA Gallery, and Factory Berlin x Sonar+D. Portrait XO founded SOUND OBSESSED, a sonic innovation archive, and is a founding member of The IASAS and Refraction Festival DAO. Their work explores bias, identity, ecology, and underrepresented cultures through AI, data sonification, and experimental sound, including her debut album WIRE and the performance The Cost of Connection at MUTEK Montreal and Gray Area Festival. Portrait XO has presented and performed at major venues and festivals worldwide, including The UN AI for Good Summit, SXSW, Ars Electronica, Reeperbahn Festival, Amsterdam Dance Event, Sonar+D, and more.

Marie-Anne Robert

Marie-Anne Robert is managing director of Sony Music Entertainment France, where she leads operations, signings, acquisitions, digital transformation, and cross-company artist opportunities. With more than 20 years of international music, digital, and marketing experience—including a decade at Believe—she has held senior roles spanning marketing, artist services, and international expansion at Believe and its subsidiary TuneCore. Earlier in her career, she managed projects at Virgin Music France and EMI, working with artists such as David Guetta, Phoenix, and Alain Souchon. Deeply connected to hip-hop since her start at Lehiphop.com, she is also a mentor and active member of MEWEM.

Antonio Serrano

Antonio Serrano is a virtuoso harmonica player and one of the leading figures in Spain's contemporary jazz scene. With exceptional technical skills and deep theoretical knowledge, Serrano has built a versatile musical career, seamlessly blending genres like jazz, flamenco, pop, and classical music. His talent has led him to collaborate with an impressive range of artists, including Barbara Hendricks, Plácido Domingo, Wynton Marsalis, Lou Bennet, Toots Thielemans, Vicente Amigo, Charles Benavent, and the legendary Paco de Lucía. Serrano is highly regarded both as a session musician and a performer, sought after for his unique ability to adapt to diverse musical styles.

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Mariela Besuievsky

Mariela Besuievsky is a film producer born in Uruguay. She graduated from the Municipal School of Dramatic Art (EMAD) and studied film at the International School of Film and Television of Cuba (EICTV). She is known for her work on El secreto de sus ojos (2009), Los crímenes de Oxford (2008), and Al final del túnel (2016).

Madame Ghandi

Kiran Gandhi, known as Madame Gandhi, is an award-winning artist and activist celebrated for her percussive electronic music and empowering messages on gender liberation and personal power. She gained international attention in 2015 after running the London Marathon free-bleeding to challenge menstrual stigma, and has been recognized as a TED Fellow, Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music, and BBC 100 Women. In 2022, while pursuing her Master of Music, Science, and Technology at Stanford University, she traveled to Antarctica to record melting glaciers, which feature in her song "In Purpose"—the first track to credit Nature as an artist, with royalties supporting Earth Percent’s Sounds Right initiative. Madame Gandhi has received the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Abe Olman Prize and the SXSW Jury Award for her music video "Waiting For Me." She performs, DJs, and speaks internationally, using her platform to promote personal expression, sustainability, and thriving. Her latest album, Let Me Be Water, in collaboration with the gender-positive nonprofit We Make Noise, was released in May 2025.

Will McKinney-Raphelt

Will McKinney-Raphelt, a seasoned music industry executive with over 15 years of experience, recently joined the RCA Records and Gold League team at Sony Music Germany. As senior product manager for RCA Germany's international hip-hop, R&B, and Afrobeats lineup, he oversees product releases and marketing campaigns for a superstar roster that includes A$AP Rocky, Wizkid, Chris Brown, and more.

Thana Alexa

Thana Alexa is a Grammy-nominated Croatian-American vocalist, composer, producer, and jazz festival director, blending jazz, world music, and electronic soundscapes. Her 2020 album ONA explores the immigrant women's experiences in her family, while her 2022 album SONICA highlights female leadership in jazz. Alexa has collaborated extensively with her husband, Grammy-winning drummer Antonio Sanchez, and co-composed a performance piece commissioned by California State University Northridge. She cofounded the virtual jazz festival Live From Our Living Rooms and is the artistic director of the Ponta Lopud Jazz Festival in Croatia, supporting young musicians and innovative music.

Rachel Portman

British film composer Rachel Portman is known for her work on Nunca me abandones (2010), Emma (1996), and Chocolat (2000). She became the first female composer to win an Academy Award for the score of Emma and the first female composer to win a Primetime Emmy Award for the film Bessie. She has received two additional Academy Award nominations for The Cider House Rules and Chocolat, which also earned her a Golden Globe nomination.  

David Rideau

Dave Rideau is a Grammy-winning, four-time nominee mixer and engineer based in Los Angeles, with over 30 years of experience in music, film, and television. He has earned dozens of gold and platinum records while working with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Sting, TLC, Janet Jackson, Marcus Miller, Earth, Wind & Fire, George Benson, Juan Gabriel, Al Jarreau, Kirk Franklin, and Boney James. Rideau’s work has taken him across Europe, Japan, and Brazil, and he has embraced immersive mixing in Dolby Atmos, contributing to projects such as Boney James’ Detour and Solid, Snoop Dogg and Billy Ray Cyrus’ Hardworking Man, and the Atmos version of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue. His film and television work includes scoring and mixing for the Sidney Poitier documentary Sydney, Disney’s Safety, Scarface, and HBO’s boxing series 24/7.

Martin F. Frascogna

Named the official US ambassador for the Global Entertainment and Music Business Program, Martin Frascogna led an extraordinary week of seminars focusing on the US market. Frascogna is an international entertainment attorney who represents clientele in 34 countries spanning six continents. His clients include international musicians, Grammy winners, and international labels and tours. 

Becca Stevens

Becca Stevens has tested the limits of musical identity, mining everything from jazz to Irish folk to indie rock, while striving for complete and authentic expression. In her latest musical endeavor, WONDERBLOOM, the North Carolina-bred, Brooklyn-based artist defies all expectation, dreaming up a groove-heavy, dance-ready sound infused with elements of pop, funk, and R&B.

Paloma Peñarrubia

Paloma Peñarrubia is a Spanish composer known for her work in film, advertising, and performing arts. She has created scores for 16 feature films, nine short films, 11 theater productions, and over 30 commercials. She won the "Biznaga de Plata" at the Málaga Film Festival and was nominated for a Goya Award for Best Original Song in 2022 and 2023. Peñarrubia is also the founder of the experimental music project BROMO, performs at major festivals, and is a professor at the University of Málaga.