Berklee's Voice Department Names Philip Lima Assistant Chair

Berklee College of Music has named Philip Lima as assistant chair of the Voice Department. Lima is a baritone vocalist who has garnered critical acclaim for his performances on both concert and operatic stages. He is currently serving as interim chair of the department while chair Anne Peckham is on sabbatical.

"It's so great to be with 'my tribe' of singers, and what remarkable singers-both faculty and students-they are. I appreciate the out-of-the-box decision-making of college leaders to let a central administrator move into academic leadership," said Lima, who worked in Berklee's Human Resources Department. "While similar moves have occurred previously, the path is not well-worn. Thanks for taking a chance on me (yes, ABBA pun intended)."

"We are all very excited for Philip Lima in his newest role at Berklee," said Ron Savage, dean of the Professional Performance Division. "A world class singer and person, his tremendous administrative expertise and deep understanding of the needs of developing vocalists make him the perfect complement for leading the college's largest private instruction area."

Lima has sung leading operatic roles in Germany and for regional opera companies in the U.S. in repertoire ranging from traditional favorites by Handel, Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi; to important works of 20th century masters such as Samuel Barber, Benjamin Britten, and Viktor Ullmann; to the comic masterworks of Gilbert and Sullivan. Of particular note have been his featured roles in the world premieres of operas by jazz greats Leslie Burrs, Nathan Davis, and Mary Watkins, and by award-winning composition professor Larry Bell.

He has also appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops and over sixty orchestras, choral societies, and concert series across the U.S. and in Korea and Ukraine in popular choral works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Fauré, Handel, Mendelssohn, Orff, and Vaughan Williams, as well as works by Bernstein, Dave Brubeck, Mahler, Ravel, and Lee Hoiby.

Lima, a resident of Roxbury, MA, joined Berklee in 2006 and most recently served as Assistant Vice President of Benefits, HR Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management. In this role, Lima was the principal advisor for the design and delivery of Berklee's employee benefits programs and the fulfillment of the college's significant human resource-related compliance requirements.

Berklee is the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs at its campuses in Boston, Massachusetts and Valencia, Spain, and through its award-winning distance learning program, Berklee Online. Dedicated to nurturing the creative and career potential of the world's most inspired artists, Berklee's commitment to arts education is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni-hundreds of whom have been recognized with Grammy, Tony, Oscar, and Emmy Awards.

At Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, students explore interdisciplinary approaches to music, dance, theater, film, business, healthcare, education, technology, and more. Our pioneering youth programs reach underserved classrooms throughout the U.S. and beyond. With students and alumni from more than 100 nations and educational partners across the world, we are forging new connections among art forms, musical traditions, and technologies to build a dynamic, diverse, and collaborative global arts community. Learn more at berklee.edu.