Berklee Valencia will award an honorary doctorate in music to composer, conductor, and Grammy Award winner Eric Whitacre. The appointment will take place on Monday, July 6th, during the master's degree graduation ceremony for this campus.
Eric Whitacre has redefined the choral experience with groundbreaking compositions and innovative virtual choirs that have brought together over 100,000 singers from more than 145 countries. In addition to collaborating with renowned orchestras, artists, and institutions, the conductor and composer pushes the boundaries of art through large multimedia works combining acoustic music, technology, and electronics.
He will be recognized for his innovative and pioneering work, as well as his distinguished career as a composer and conductor. "Eric Whitacre has redefined the boundaries of 21st-century vocal music through his virtual choirs, which have united voices from all corners of the globe," states Simone Pilon, Executive Director of Berklee Valencia.
In the past five years, Berklee's Valencia campus has awarded this title to Gilberto Gil, Alberto Iglesias, Yvette Noel-Schure, Youssou N'Dour, and Patrick Doyle.
The composer, conductor, and Grammy Award winner Eric Whitacre is one of the most recognized contemporary classical musicians today. Known for combining choral textures with cutting-edge technology, his work has redefined the modern choral experience for audiences worldwide.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Whitacre has developed an extensive professional career spanning concert music, technology, education, and outreach. In addition to his broad experience in production for vocal ensembles, his orchestral works have been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra. He has also served as artist-in-residence at the Los Angeles Master Chorale and as a visiting composer at Pembroke College.
His most recent large-scale works continue to expand artistic and technological boundaries. 'Eternity in an Hour,' premiered at the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms in 2024, marked the first time Whitacre simultaneously conducted and performed live electronic music on stage.
In 2025, 'The Pacific Has No Memory,' a commission by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, premiered at Carnegie Hall with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Furthermore, his acclaimed composition 'Deep Field,' inspired by the achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope, premiered at the Kennedy Space Center, forming the basis of a unique collaboration with NASA.
Beyond the stage, Whitacre has collaborated with artists and composers such as Hans Zimmer, Imogen Heap, Laura Mvula, and Annie Lennox. His long-standing relationship with Decca Classics has produced a collection of albums that have topped the charts. These include 'Light & Gold,' his Grammy-winning debut as composer and conductor; 'Water Night,' which reached number one on the iTunes and Billboard classical music charts; and 'Home,' recorded with the a cappella vocal octet VOCES8.
As a speaker and educator, Whitacre has delivered masterclasses for organizations such as the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, Apple, and Google, among many others. His contributions to music and innovation have earned him accolades such as the Richard D. Colburn Award from the Colburn School and an honorary doctorate from Chapman University.
