Boston, MA • May 29 - 30, 2026

Early Bird Ticket, $159 • Register by March 20

What is Berklee Onsite?

Open and inclusive to the entire music community (not just students), join us Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30, 2026 on Berklee College of Music’s campus in Boston for an unforgettable two days of live music, learning sessions, and networking events!

  • Hands-on workshops in music business, music production, songwriting and more
  • Live classes from Berklee's award-winning curriculum
  • Panels with Berklee instructors and industry experts
  • Face-to-face connections with Berklee instructors, students, and advisors
  • Networking and socializing events
  • Surprise performances
Picture of a Berklee Onsite session in action in a Music Production studio

Sessions

Join us Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30, 2026 on Berklee College of Music’s campus in Boston for Berklee Onsite 2026! Onsite is two days of live music, learning sessions, and networking events, giving you the opportunity for face-to-face connections with Berklee instructors, students, and advisors you might normally only get to interact with online.

(2026 Sessions to be announced soon!)

Speakers

Mark Ethier, 2026 Berklee Onsite Keynote Speaker

2026 Keynote

Mark Ethier

Executive Director, Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL); Named One of SPIN’s Most Influential People in Music

Mark Ethier is helping shape the future of music. Cracking the top 10 of SPIN’s Most Influential People in Music of 2026 list, Ethier now stands at the center of the conversation around creativity, technology, and artificial intelligence. Long before AI became a flashpoint in music culture, he was building tools that quietly became part of musicians’ everyday creative workflows. After graduating from MIT with degrees in music and computer science, he cofounded iZotope in 2001, helping lead the company as its audio software became foundational to modern music production. Under his leadership as CEO, iZotope earned multiple NAMM TEC Awards, two Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards, and an Academy Award for Scientific and Engineering Achievement.

Currently serving as the executive director of Berklee’s Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL), he champions an artist-first approach to innovation—one that emphasizes intention, agency, and human creativity. Today, that work directly impacts students, faculty, and the broader music community. At Berklee Onsite, his keynote will focus on the practical applications of AI for music making and creativity, featuring live demonstrations that students can immediately apply to their own creative work. Rather than positioning AI as something that replaces artists, Ethier encourages musicians to decide where they want to be most creative—and then use technology to support the rest of the process, from workshopping lyrics and producing music to building marketing campaigns, managing tours, and shaping sustainable careers on their own terms.



Featured Speakers (2025)

Zahili Gonzalez Zamora

Assistant Professor

Zahili Gonzalez Zamora is an award-winning pianist and composer whose work fuses Afro-Cuban traditions with jazz innovation. Her trio, MIXCLA, has wowed audiences at Monterey and Montreal Jazz Festivals. A Berklee alum and Piano Department faculty member, she graduated summa cum laude in 2017 with a dual degree in Jazz Composition and Jazz Piano Performance.

Rodney Alejandro

Dean

Rodney Alejandro has written, produced, and performed with icons like Quincy Jones, Roger Daltrey, and Stevie Wonder. A former member of the Script, he shaped their live sound as musical director. From chart-topping hits to TV scores (The Shield), his expertise fuels Berklee’s Songwriting Department. In 2024, he was nominated for his first Grammy.

Alison Plante

Professor of Screen Scoring & Program Director for the Online M.M. in Film Scoring

The first female chair of a collegiate film scoring department, Alison's scoring credits range from documentaries for PBS and the History Channel to national television ads, independent films, live action and animated shorts, theater, and multimedia museum installations for the Smithsonian Institution and the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Prince Charles Alexander

Professor, Music Production and Engineering

A legendary producer and engineer, Prince Charles Alexander has worked with Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G., Sting, and more, earning multiple Grammys and more than 40 Platinum and Gold certifications. A former Virgin Records artist, he was an early innovator in digital production, blending funk, R&B, and hip-hop with emerging studio technology.

(2026 Speakers to be announced soon!)


Map showing the many countries that Berklee Onsite attendees come from.

Berklee Onsite FAQs

Berklee Onsite 2026 is taking place Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30 at Berklee College of Music’s Boston campus. Attendees will be able to check in to the conference beginning at 8:00 AM on May 29.

There will also be an informal “meet & greet” taking place on Thursday, May 28th from 5 PM - 8 PM in the David Friend Recital Hall (921 Boylston St) for anyone who is in-town the night before the conference and are looking to connect with fellow attendees and Berklee Online staff.
Individual session and workshop registration will open the week of April 21. You will receive an email as soon as the sessions become available for registration!
Berklee Onsite is open to Berklee students and the general public. Please note that the conference will be capped at 500 attendees on a first-come, first-served basis.
Berklee Onsite attendees who are under the age of 13 must be accompanied at all times by a parent or legal guardian. Attendees under the age of 18 will be required to have a parent or legal guardian sign a waiver stating that their participation in Berklee Onsite is approved. Attendees under the age of 18 will receive a waiver via email prior to Berklee Onsite.

All Berklee Onsite attendees are asked to keep government-issued identification with them at all times. You may be asked during event check-in to present an ID to Berklee Online staff.
Yes, all Berklee Onsite events are handicap accessible.
Because Berklee Onsite is a non-credit bearing, short-term program, you do not need a student visa to attend. However, travel regulations vary by country, so to find out if you will need a tourist visa to enter the US, please visit Travel.State.Gov.
Connect with other attendees on the Berklee Onsite Facebook Event page. Use #BerkleeOnsite2026 for a chance to be featured on Berklee Online’s social media accounts, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.
No, college credit will not be awarded to those who choose to attend Berklee Onsite.
Yes. After the conference, you will be able to download a digital badge from Accredible that you can display on your LinkedIn profile or other social media.
Berklee Online is committed to creating and providing usable, equitable, and inclusive learning environments. If you need accommodations because of a disability, please contact Berklee Online the accommodations department at mailto:accommodation@online.berklee.edu.
Yes. By participating in Berklee Onsite at Berklee College of Music, you agree to the Waiver, Release, and Indemnification Agreement found here.

Accommodations

Recommended hotels and other options are found below next to the map.
We suggest bringing an instrument of your choice (as long as it is portable) and a laptop or tablet. These items are optional, and not a requirement to attend any sessions and workshops.
Check out this list of live music venues in Boston.
Although weather in New England is known for its uncertainty, June in Boston is typically comfortable, with an average daily low of 59°F (15°C) and high of 77°F (25°C). We recommend packing a sweatshirt or light jacket for cooler evenings and air-conditioned classrooms.

Tickets and Registration

You will receive a full refund if you cancel and request a refund by Thursday, April 30th, 2026. From May 1st onward, you will not be able to cancel your reservation for a refund. Please remember that canceling your Berklee Onsite registration does not automatically cancel hotel and/or travel arrangements. You are responsible for canceling your own hotel and travel reservations.
No. Berklee Onsite attendees can dine a la carte in the 160 Massachusetts Avenue Dining Hall, or explore any of the many wonderful restaurants in Boston.
Registration for individual sessions and workshops will open the week of April 21, 2025. If you have already registered by this date, you will receive an email once these sessions become available for registration.

Hotel Information

Here are recommended hotels near 160 Massachusetts Avenue, sorted by proximity to campus:

  • The Colonnade Hotel
    120 Huntington Avenue • 0.2 miles from campus
    4-star hotel with rooftop pool, near Prudential Center and public transportation
  • The Verb Hotel
    1271 Boylston Street • 0.3 miles from campus
    Rock n' roll themed boutique hotel, close to Fenway Park
  • Sheraton Boston Hotel
    39 Dalton Street • 0.3 miles from campus
    Connected to Prudential Center mall, indoor pool and fitness center
  • Hilton Boston Back Bay
    40 Dalton Street • 0.3 miles from campus
    Close to Hynes Convention Center, recently renovated rooms
  • Westin Copley Place
    10 Huntington Avenue • 0.4 miles from campus
    Connected to Copley Place mall, upscale amenities and dining
Note: All hotels are within walking distance to Berklee, near public transportation, restaurants, shopping, and major attractions. The area is safe and well-lit.

Parking Information

For those traveling to Berklee Onsite by car, limited metered parking is available on the streets surrounding the Berklee Performance Center and Berklee College of Music. Parking is also available at nearby parking garages:

Nearby Garages

Public Transportation

The campus is easily accessible via MBTA:

  • Green Line E Branch to Symphony Station
  • Orange Line to Massachusetts Avenue Station
  • Multiple bus routes along Massachusetts Avenue

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