Jermaine Hill Named Assistant Chair of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Boston Conservatory at Berklee has named educator and artist Jermaine Hill as assistant chair of theater. Hill comes to the Conservatory from the musical theater program at Columbia College Chicago, where, as assistant professor and program coordinator, he instituted a national search for new musicals written by historically marginalized writers and composers. In addition to his work in academia, Hill is a multidimensional, award-winning theater artist who was active in Chicago’s professional theater scene. In 2020, he music directed and reorchestrated Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, for which he received a Joseph Jefferson Award. His other recent credits include The Music Man at the Goodman Theatre, directed by Mary Zimmerman and choreographed by Denis Jones; The Color Purple at Drury Lane Oakbrook; Spunk with the Roundabout Theatre Refocus Project; Nell Gwynn at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater; and TimeLine Theatre Company’s production of Too Heavy for Your Pocket.
Hill will be the first-ever assistant chair at Boston Conservatory, where he will help lead the Theater Division in achieving its educational and artistic goals, with a focus on curricular innovation, standards and practices, and day-to-day operations. He will work with more than 100 theater faculty, notably in diversifying representation within the curriculum and performance repertoire. Experienced in the cultivation of new works, he will also coordinate the Writer’s Stage, a program for supporting new plays and musicals by faculty, students, and alumni; oversee the Spotlight professional development series with guest artists; and serve as advisor for the Fire Next Time, the annual BIPOC musical theater cabaret.
“I am thrilled to join the Theater Division at Boston Conservatory at Berklee during this extraordinary time of innovation, growth, and cultural change,” remarked Hill. “I look forward to working with my colleagues across the Berklee community as we continue to diversify our methodologies and approaches, uplift the voices and works of marginalized authors and composers, and make our division a leader in new work development and the reimagining of canonized works. I am passionate about working together to prioritize pre-professional training and radical generosity as we aim to make Boston Conservatory at Berklee the preeminent destination for performing arts education.”
As a singer, Hill has performed with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme in Aldeburgh, U.K, and the Cayuga Vocal Ensemble. His recent acting credits include a guest appearance on NBC's Chicago Med, and the role of Sam in Breathe with Me, presented by the Chicago nonprofit arts organization Erasing the Distance. He previously worked for Music Theater International and for Royal Caribbean Productions as a cocreator, music director, arranger, orchestrator, and rehearsal and production supervisor. Hill currently maintains a small roster of private voice students, including Tony and Grammy award-winner Heather Headley.
“Theater at the Conservatory is growing and innovating at a tremendous pace. Jermaine's experience and expertise will be a valuable asset as we continue to build our groundbreaking approach to the education and development of the theater leaders of the future,” said Dean of Theater Scott Edmiston. “Jermaine embodies the values and multidimensionality we seek to inspire in our students. He is an educator, administrator, actor, performer, musician, and music director. He is passionate about decolonizing the curriculum and changing the narrative about what theater can do and be in the 21st century. I believe he will have a substantial impact not only on the Conservatory, but on Boston as well.”
A native of New York, Hill received a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Ithaca College and a Master of Music degree with academic honors in vocal performance from New England Conservatory of Music.