Berklee prez is gone
NewsBerklee College of Music has let it be known that Erika Muhl will not return after taking four weeks leave of absence. No reason has been given and Muhl, 61, is not saying anything. She has been in the job just two years.
The Boston Globe has nailed an internal email: “For the last several weeks, the Board of Trustees has been actively engaged in ongoing discussions with President Muhl,” board chairman Martin Mannion wrote in a terse e-mail to staff and faculty. “While we are unable to share further details, President Muhl will not be returning to Berklee. The board thanks President Muhl for her time, her leadership during the pandemic, and her investment in Berklee’s educational experience.”
Here’s the story.
Must be pretty bad. Not even the laughable “she wants to spend more time with her family.”
That’s only half of the story, basically. The Boston Conservatory at Berklee has not director. So, they’re missing a president, the interim head of the Boston Conservatory has left, and that board of trustees is finding itself in a disarray that is unusual for Berklee, what had been a very smooth running and successful operation. They have almost 9000 students total.
Never understood the benefit to Boston Conservatory by merging with Berklee. Of course Berklee benefited by getting some prime Back Bay real estate!
Berklee wanted their music theater program, which is very highly ranked and profitable. It was pretty much stated in public by Roger, their prez before Erika. That was what Berklee got. Boston Conservatory, they were in pretty bad financial straits. It why all those formerly independent conservatories sought out larger institutions.
My alma mater, New England Conservatory, is still “independent.” Thank goodness.
My understanding is that Boston Conservatory would have gone under were it not for the merger with Berklee. I believe it was more or less on its last legs.
GONE…but, obviously, not forgotten! More on this soon, once the TRUTH is revealed!
The Boston Globe article mentions that she put her house on the market last month.