When Dr. Erica Muhl begins her term in July 2021, she will become the first female president of the Berklee College of Music in the 75-year history of the Boston institution. Muhl most recently served as dean and founding executive director of the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation at the University of Southern California. She is a graduate of California State University, Northridge; the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome; and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. She holds a doctor of musical arts degree from the USC Thornton School of Music. Founded with a $70 million endowment from Jimmy Iovine, founder and former chairman of Universal Music Group’s Interscope Geffen A&M Records, and Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, the academy launched two graduate degrees, the master of science in integrated design, business, and technology and the master of science in product innovation. After her acclaimed 30-year career at USC, Muhl will succeed Berklee President Roger H. Brown, who has served in the role for 17 years.
