Pride Month: Celebrating NEC Alumnus, Former Faculty Member, and Jazz Pianist, Fred Hersch ’77

Published on June 3, 2024

Kicking off this Pride Month, we are celebrating former faculty member, NEC alum, and jazz pianist Fred Hersch ’77. A fifteen-time GRAMMY nominee, in 2010, Fred was called “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair. Fred has over 60 albums to his credit, along with a memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly, which details his journey as one of the first openly gay jazz musicians who is HIV positive.

Beyond his contributions as a composer, educator, and pianist, Fred has been an advocate and fundraiser for AIDS services and education agencies. Fred received his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from NEC in 1977.

Learn more about Fred's story and musical background here.

Other news

Jahnvi Madan ’24 became the Youngest Musician to be Commissioned by Seattle’s Earshot Jazz

May 31, 2024
When Jahnvi Madan ’24 first arrived on NEC’s campus, the alumna had never composed a piece of music before. Just a few years later, Jahnvi became the youngest musician to be commissioned by Seattle’s Earshot Jazz to create an original composition for its 2023 Festival. She also became the Earshot Jazz's Northwest Emerging Artist of the Year.Jahnvi is a clarinetist and composer who recently graduat

Three NEC Alumni Win at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Competition

June 3, 2024
On Saturday, June 1, violinist Joshua Brown ’22, ’24 MM won Second Prize and both audience prizes at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Competition. Joshua, who studied with faculty member Donald Weilerstein at NEC for six years, receives €20,000 and concert opportunities in Belgium and abroad for his win. Fellow NEC alumni Julian Rhee ’22, ’24 MM and Minami Yoshida ’21, ’24 MM also finished as laureates, p