Berklee Names Lima Assistant Chair of Voice Department

Berklee College of Music has named Philip Lima assistant chair of the Voice Department.

Lima is a baritone vocalist who has garnered critical acclaim for his performances on both concert and operatic stages. He is currently serving as interim chair of the department while chair Anne Peckham is on sabbatical.

“It’s so great to be with ‘my tribe’ of singers, and what remarkable singers–both faculty and students–they are. I appreciate the out-of-the-box decision-making of college leaders to let a central administrator move into academic leadership,” said Lima, who worked in Berklee’s Human Resources Department. “While similar moves have occurred previously, the path is not well-worn. Thanks for taking a chance on me (yes, ABBA pun intended).”

“We are all very excited for Philip Lima in his newest role at Berklee,” said Ron Savage, dean of the Professional Performance Division. “A world class singer and person, his tremendous administrative expertise and deep understanding of the needs of developing vocalists make him the perfect complement for leading the college’s largest private instruction area.”

Lima, a resident of Roxbury, Massachusetts, joined Berklee in 2006 and most recently served as assistant vice president of benefits, HR compliance and enterprise risk management. In this role, Lima was the principal advisor for the design and delivery of Berklee’s employee benefits programs and the fulfillment of the college’s significant human resource–related compliance requirements.