Berklee College of Music has recently received a $3 million gift that will benefit its year-old Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice.
The donation will create the Terri Lyne Carrington Endowed Artistic Directorship for the Institute, named after the Grammy-winning musician, producer and educator who founded it exactly one year ago.
“It’s an incredible honor to receive this generous gift supporting our institute’s vision and goals; it is really very encouraging,” said Carrington. “The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice was created to address the need for gender parity in our field, and it is inspiring to know that our work and scholarly pursuits will continue on campus and throughout the world for the foreseeable future. We’re very grateful for this outstanding assistance in furthering our cause.”
The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice focuses on creative practice and scholarship in jazz within an integrated and egalitarian environment. Under the leadership of Carrington, the Institute celebrates the contributions women have made to the development of the art form, and continues the mission of making an important and long-lasting cultural shift toward gender equity in jazz and other music communities.
In its first year, the Institute has held a variety of special events, including an open house with Dianne Reeves; The Gathering, a free series of performances, workshops, and lectures by prominent jazz figures; and a Signature Series performance with Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Berklee Performance Center on its anniversary. There are currently seven course offerings spanning performance, composition, and jazz’s role in the greater societal landscape taught by expert performers and scholars in the field, including the Institute’s managing director and ethnomusicologist, Aja Burrell Wood.
“Terri Lyne Carrington and the Berklee Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice are already challenging and changing the way music is taught, composed, performed, and shared,” said Berklee president Roger H. Brown. “I am delighted to announce this significant gift that will fuel the important work of the institute.”
Image by Tracy Love.
