Pat Metheny Appointed Herb Alpert Chair At Berklee

By I Dec. 20, 2002

This month, jazz guitarist/composer Pat Metheny began his appointment as a Herb Alpert Visiting Professor at Berklee College of Music. Metheny, who was on the Berklee faculty in the mid 1970s and received an honorary doctorate of music from the college in 1996, is the third Herb Alpert Visiting Professor, following the previously appointed pianist/composer Alan Broadbent ‘69 and bassist Abe Laboriel Sr. ‘72, both Berklee alumni.

The Alpert Professorship was established in 2000 with the support of the Herb Alpert Foundation, the philanthropic organization launched by A&M Records cofounder and seven-time Grammy-winning recording artist Alpert. Alpert received an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee in 2000. The Alpert Visiting Professorship Program brings to Berklee a steady stream of world-class performance and music industry leaders. Each year, a person who has achieved major recognition as a performer or prominent figure in the music industry will be appointed Herb Alpert Visiting Professor, agreeing to a three-year commitment to Berklee, for two weeks each academic year.

As a member of Berklee’s board of overseers, Alpert has had an important advisory role with the college and was in a position to recognize the benefits of extending—and deepening—the communication between visiting artists and Berklee. The Alpert Professorship reflects Alpert’s view that students will benefit tremendously if given the opportunity to interact with the masters of the music industry.