Berklee Online Master’s Alumni Receive 2024 Music Production Awards

For the fourth year running, Enrique Gonzalez Müller, director for Berklee Online’s Music Production master’s program, has partnered with iZotope, Slate Digital, and Sweetwater Sound to celebrate the accomplishments of six alumni. This year’s honorees are Darra Bunkasem, Jake Fleming, Matea Miljacki, Alex Priore, Daniel Raijman, and Gregor Schweiger. 

“These outstanding master’s students were selected through a rigorous blind evaluation process,” says Gonzalez Müller. 

The criteria included “Excellent Creativity” by iZotope, “Excellent Performance” by Sweetwater Sound, and “Excellent Mix” by Slate Digital. The three awards examine Culminating Experience projects submitted by Music Production master’s students between the Spring 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters. As one of the final courses in the program, the Culminating Experience requires students to synthesize everything they have learned into a final submission. 

“Congratulations to our talented award recipients for their exceptional achievements, and we wish them our very best for the music-making road ahead!” says Gonzalez Müller.

Darra Bunkasem

Winner of the iZotope Award: Honoring Excellent Creativity in Music Production, Darra Bunkasem is a producer and artist from Kent, Washington. 

“This award gives me some motivation to pick up the pace,” says Bunkasem. “While self-expression and intrinsic validation are most important when it comes to creativity, this recognition tells me that I’m on the right track and encourages me to keep going.”

Bunkasem describes his style as chaotic and abstract, approaching his music creation and sound design process as experimental. 

“Most of the time, I have no idea what I’m doing until it suddenly clicks, and I stumble upon something interesting,” he says.

In addition to music production, Bunkasem is passionate about digital art and is currently working on a project called The Chromechild, where he sells cover art and NFTs. He plans to release the tracks from his winning Culminating Experience project through his label with accompanying art pieces.

One of Bunkasem’s favorite tracks, “Jade,” which he says encompasses his production style.

“Imposter syndrome was something I dealt with a lot,” he says, “but more than ever, I’ve learned to appreciate the process and overcome the perfectionist mindset that I’ve struggled with for so long.”

Jake Fleming

Jake Fleming from Bozeman, Montana, is the recipient of the Slate Digital Award: Honoring Excellent Mixing in Music Production. 

“I’m honored that my work has been recognized by inspired and discerning masters of the craft,” he says. 

Jake Fleming’s full EP Elephants in Space, which he submitted for Grammy consideration in the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album category.

Fleming says his journey as a producer began as a teenager, experimenting with a Fostex four-track recorder. It was during these formative years that he developed the skills that remain central to his production style today. 

“My style has evolved significantly, but that discerning ear I developed early on is still at the core of what I do,” he says. 

Currently, Fleming works with an array of local artists, producing music across genres like hip-hop, country, folk, indie Americana, and funk-rock fusion. For his Culminating Experience project, Fleming submitted an EP that he produced with Bozeman-based artist Gage Sowell titled Perfect Storm.

Beyond his technical skills, he is grateful for the connections he has made at Berklee Online. 

“I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve forged with the faculty and my peers during my time in the master’s program,” he says. “I’ve kept a full life as a professional, father, and husband outside of the program, so it was important to engage in meaningful ways with everyone I was working with.”

Daniel Raijman

Daniel Raijman, a composer, guitarist, educator, and producer, is the recipient of the Sweetwater Sound Award: Honoring Excellent Performance in Music Production. 

“It means a lot for two reasons,” Raijman says. “One, of course, is the recognition of my work by my mentors. But also I love to be attached to Berklee’s mission of ‘doing the right thing.’ In all honesty ‘doing the right thing’ is what occupies my energy, emotions, and focus every single day.”

Raijman’s music can be found in media for Sony Pictures, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate, and more. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Raijman began his music education as a guitarist, specializing in jazz and traditional orchestration. From there, he attended UCLA to earn a certificate in film scoring, which led him to continue his studies in music production at Berklee Online. 

“My goal has always been to grow my knowledge of music, install new skills, and pick as many tools as I can get—to the point where I need to get a bigger toolbox from time to time,” he says. “In that process I put myself, my services, my heart, and my toolbox in the hands of my clients and collaborators.”

This year has been busy for Raijman, who released several new projects, including a single called “Silence Me,” created in collaboration with Berklee Online alum Nina Nepa, who won the Sweetwater Sound Award in 2023. Most personal to Raijman is his EP Vuelo Con Vos, a collection of songs in Spanish that he wrote over the years.

Raijman’s 2023 EP Vuelo Con Vos. 

“Graduating from Berklee is a long-time dream,” he says, “and I feel grateful for the opportunity every step of the way.”

Alex Priore

A producer and educator from Sioux Center, Iowa, Alex Priore is the recipient of the Slate Digital Award: Honoring Excellent Mixing in Music Production. 

“Winning this award is an incredible honor,” she says. “My time at Berklee was transformative, helping me grow as an engineer and honing the skills I brought to this project. Being part of such a talented cohort of producers and engineers makes this recognition even more humbling.” 

Priore’s collection of four songs that comprised her Culminating Experience project.

Priore is owner of The Wild Nomad Studio, as well as the director of production arts at Dordt University. Her approach to production is fundamentally collaborative, guiding first-time artists and singer-songwriters through the process of seeing their music fully realized with a band. 

“My goal is always to amplify the artist’s voice and unique style, creating something that reflects who they are,” she says.

Through the university, she is currently working on the release of a cover of Israel Houghton’s gospel song, “Lord You Are Good,” along with an accompanying documentary and music video. 

“I love diving into the creative process with artists and musicians, working together from the ground up to craft and refine songs,” says Priore. “There’s something magical that happens when creatives share a space and bounce ideas off each other.”

Gregor Schweiger

Gregor Schweiger, a producer from Potsdam, Germany, is the recipient of the iZotope Award: Honoring Excellent Creativity in Music Production. 

“This will certainly motivate me to continue things as they are and have trust in my instincts and creative ability,” he says. “Of course this also means to keep learning and elevating your skills to the max, as I tried my best to do during my time at Berklee.”

Schweiger is currently in Austria working for the annual Salzburger Festival. He’s responsible for recording every concert in the main festival hall, and amplifying various operas and concerts. He’s also the owner of Schweiger Studios and plans to start building a new studio in his house once the festival concludes. 

One of Schweiger’s songs that he submitted for his Culminating Experience project: “Stratusphoria” by Szweiger feat. Michelle Ailjets.

“Sound-wise I would describe my productions as analog and punchy, since I prefer using my analog console as much as possible,” he says. 

During his time at Berklee, Schweiger is most proud of the feedback he received from his professors and peers. 

“People gave me creative input on how to improve my work and also complimented the work I’ve done,” he says. “It was quite overwhelming because I thought my classmates all had created amazing work themselves.”