Boston Conservatory Named a Top School for Dance, Music, and Theater in 2023
Year after year, Boston Conservatory at Berklee earns recognition on "best of" lists in respected trade publications and guides to higher education. In 2023, the Conservatory continued to fare well in the rankings, receiving accolades from the likes of Playbill, Backstage Magazine, DanceUS.org, and BestSchools.org.
When evaluating schools for these lists, publications take into account Boston Conservatory's wide range of degree offerings, the many performance opportunities afforded our students, the credentials and demonstrated commitment of our faculty, and the proven success of alums (which in 2023 included two Tony Award winners and a Latin Grammy nominee).
One of the Best College Dance Programs
For the fourth consecutive year, Boston Conservatory was named a top dance school by DanceUS.org, earning recognition for "what is widely considered the best contemporary dance program in the U.S." DanceUS.org is a trusted resource in the dance world, providing news and educational resources to dancers, as well as editorials on topics ranging from the history of dance to the latest trends in every style. Emphasizing the Dance Division's innovative curriculum, DanceUS.org says, "the Conservatory provides an environment for young dancers to grow into cutting-edge artists."
The longstanding industry trade magazine Backstage ranked Boston Conservatory third on its list of 10 College Dance Programs You Should Know. In its review, Backstage points to the Conservatory's unique partnerships with the Royal Academy of Dance, which offers a ballet teaching qualification, and with the Radio City Rockettes, which provides precision dance training at an unparalleled professional level.
A Top School for Music
For the second consecutive year, BestSchools.org ranked Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music among their top 10 schools for musicians. The Conservatory was noted as having an above-average range of instrumental instruction, including collaborative piano, harp, marimba, and vocal pedagogy. BestSchools evaluated their rankings on the basis of educational excellence, strength of faculty, reputation, and record of accomplishment by alums.
This past year also saw many Music Division alums reaching new career heights: Kristhyan Benitez (G.P.D. '10, A.D. '15, piano) earned his second Latin Grammy nomination in the Best Classical Album category; and Laura Bibbs (B.M. '19, trumpet) played for sold-out crowds all over Europe while on tour with Harry Styles. Current Conservatory students also made their mark in 2023, with Chenglin Yang (M.M. '24, clarinet) earning a full-time position with the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra in Jiangsu Province, China, and Juliette Ojeda wowing judges on NBC's The Voice.
Top 10 Most-Represented Colleges on Broadway
Boston Conservatory ranked seventh on Playbill's list of the "Big 10" most represented colleges on Broadway during the 2022–2023 performance season. The success of alums in recent productions like Wicked, Funny Girl, and 1776 has earned the Conservatory a spot on this coveted list for the fifth time in the last seven years.
Several alums performed in Tony-nominated productions this past season: Marchánt Davis (B.F.A. '13, musical theater) led the cast of Ain’t No Mo’; Andrew Durand (B.F.A. '08, musical theater) played Beau in Shucked; and Allison Blackwell (M.M. '04, musical theater) and Aaron Patterson (B.F.A. '21, musical theater) performed in the company for New York, New York.
Two alums—Ben Simpson (B.F.A. ’11, musical theater) and Mike Mosallam (M.M. ’06, musical theater)—took home Tony Awards as producers of Parade, which won Best Revival of a Musical.
Learn more about Boston Conservatory’s top-ranking programs in dance, music, and theater, and sign up to receive helpful information and tips for applying.