Berklee Commencement Concert 2026

Berklee College of Music will present honorary Doctor of Music degrees to Grammy-winning artists Jacob Collier, Jill Scott, and Vinnie Colaiuta ’75 at its 2026 commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m. at Boston University’s Agganis Arena.

Commencement festivities will begin on the evening of Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. with a reception and concert at Agganis Arena. The concert will feature a global cast of more than 200 student vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers, arrangers, and track producers from the graduating class, who will perform a musical tribute to the work of each of the honorees.

This year’s honorary doctorate recipients will be celebrated and recognized for their invaluable artistic contributions to the world of music. Past recipients from the college include Duke Ellington (the first, in 1971), Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones ’51, Celine Dion, B.B. King, Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, esperanza spalding BM ’05, André 3000, Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Ringo Starr, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Roberta Flack, Juan Luis Guerra ’82, Rita Moreno, Ledisi, Q-Tip, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Sara Bareilles, and John Legend.