Kevin Haden (MA ’08, BM ’03) Named Dean of Music for Boston Conservatory at Berklee

Kevin Haden (MA ’08, BM ’03, Music Theory and Composition) has been named Dean of Music for Boston Conservatory at Berklee, one of the leading contemporary performing arts conservatories in the United States.

Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Haden entered NYU Steinhardt as a vocal performance major, thinking perhaps he would build a career on Broadway or as an R&B singer.

“I was very much a product of my high school’s music program, where I did band, orchestra, choir, and musicals, and I saw music as the one thing I was passionate enough about to do for four more years,” says Haden, who also began working at NYU Steinhardt full-time while pursuing his undergraduate degree. “About a year in, I switched to classical voice and then eventually to composition, and I ended up staying for my master’s degree. I had opportunities to teach and direct, and I learned a whole lot.”

Haden worked in administrative roles at NYU Steinhardt for a total of 22 years, ending his tenure as the director of academic operations for the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions. He left to become dean of the school of music and associate professor at University of the Arts, a private arts university in Philadelphia; it closed in 2024.

Most recently, Haden served as senior associate dean of strategic engagement and institutional excellence at Curtis Institute of Music, a tuition-free private conservatory in Philadelphia. His role was to extend the reach of the Provost’s Office by offering faculty, students, and staff more opportunities to amplify their voices. 

When his deanship at Boston Conservatory at Berklee begins on July 1, Haden looks forward to highlighting the value of collaboration—something he has prioritized in all his previous roles.

“Boston Conservatory and Berklee merged less than 10 years ago, and this combination has created a place that gives students a foundation in what is tried and true while also giving them room to unlock their own possibilities,” says Haden. “When you get people together—creatively or administratively—the results are often better than what you can do alone. I am excited about the opportunity to leverage the institution’s capacity to let this talented community invest in and invent their own futures.”

In addition to his leadership in the field of creative and performing arts education, Haden is a composer, songwriter, performer, and recording artist with a catalog of both international record label and independent releases. Learn more about Kevin Haden’s work as a singer, songwriter, arranger, and more.