Berklee College of Music didn’t become the global hub for aspiring songwriters, producers, and film scorers by accident. Behind its rise from a modest teaching studio to the epicenter of contemporary music education stands Lee Berk, the visionary leader who shaped the institution’s modern identity—even if he never played a note professionally himself.
Now, Lee Berk: Leading the Berklee Way, a newly released biography from Berklee Press and Hal Leonard, offers a thoughtful, in-depth look at the life and legacy of the man who led the school through some of its most transformative decades. Authored by longtime Berklee insider Mark Small, the book explores not only the evolution of the college but the personal journey of its guiding force.
Hal Leonard, the world’s largest provider of music publications and instruction materials, brings this biography to life through its Berklee Press imprint. With over a million titles to its name and a global presence, Hal Leonard has long been a trusted name in the music education space—and this project adds another meaningful chapter to that legacy.
A statement from the company discloses that "Lee Berk’s decisive leadership guided a small, family-operated music school along its journey to becoming the world’s largest, most innovative higher education musical institution.” Indeed, it’s difficult to overstate just how much of Berklee’s modern success was rooted in his strategic, forward-looking leadership.
The book traces the Berk family’s origins, beginning with Lee’s grandfather, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, and continuing through his father Lawrence Berk, who founded the original teaching studio in Boston in 1945. By 1954, Lawrence had named the growing institution after his son—by creatively reversing “Lee Berk” into “Berklee.”
Lee Berk officially joined the college in 1966, after earning a law degree, and became president in 1979. Under his leadership, Berklee not only expanded its campus and student body but also redefined what a music education could look like. A statement from the company discloses that "Lee succeeded his father as president in 1979, and shepherded Berklee through an era of explosive growth with the introduction of groundbreaking majors in Film Scoring, Music Production and Engineering, Music Synthesis, Songwriting, Music Business, and Music Therapy.”
In many ways, Berk’s greatest achievement was launching Berklee Online in 2004—an ambitious digital learning platform that became the largest provider of online music education in the world. At a time when traditional music schools were still focused on conservatory models, Berklee under Lee Berk was embracing popular music, new technologies, and a global student base.
Yet his work extended far beyond academic innovation. A statement from the company states that "Lee Berk was a passionate music fan who attended thousands of concerts and dedicated his life to providing opportunities for young musicians.” He championed youth mentoring and scholarship programs in Boston and helped establish an arts-focused high school, all while building international partnerships to share the Berklee curriculum across the world.
Even in retirement, Lee remained deeply engaged in the arts community—most notably as chair of the New Mexico Music Commission and as a concert promoter in both New Mexico and Arizona, a role he continued until his final day in 2023.
Author Mark Small, a Berklee alumnus and former managing editor of Berklee Today magazine, had a longstanding professional and personal relationship with the Berk family. His perspective brings a deep sense of familiarity and respect to the biography, capturing not just the administrative milestones but the personal character of a leader described as both quiet and deeply driven.
For anyone interested in the evolution of music education—or the story of a man who helped democratize access to it—Lee Berk: Leading the Berklee Way is both a valuable historical document and a moving tribute. The biography is available now for $29.99 at halleonard.com and bookstores everywhere.
