Jeffrey Dorenfeld grew up in Northern California, and after attending college on the West Coast, came east to manage the band Boston.
“That’s how I ended up here and I did that through the 1980s,’’ he said. He also was tour manager and lighting designer for Sammy Hagar, formerly lead singer for Van Halen.
Later, “I was asked to guest speak at a few colleges about the music business and made the transition to teaching,’’ he said.
Dorenfeld, 68, of Westford, is a professor of music business management at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
He said there are about 400 students at the college who major in the program.
“The goal is to prepare them for working in the music industry,’’ he said. “I focus on live music and tours, which is where I started.’’
His new initiative, the Berklee Popular Music Institute, is an experience-based program that enables students to go from the classroom to the stage — as performers or behind the scenes — at some of the most popular summer music festivals in the country, such as Lollapalooza (July 28-31 in Grant Park, Chicago).
“If I am going to teach at my age, I want to do something that is groundbreaking and new,’’ Dorenfeld said.
The program includes three semesters, fall, spring, and summer, with the summer session dedicated to going out on tour.
“It’s daunting for young performers who have only played on a small stage to suddenly appear on a stage that’s 5 to 8 feet high and 40 to 60 feet wide,’’ Dorenfeld said. “Every band has benefited from the experience. They step off the stage with more confidence and the realization that this is something they can pursue.’’
They also learn about marketing, contracts, tour budgets, digital presence, merchandising, and sponsorships.
“It’s great bridging the gap between academics and the industry,’’ Dorenfeld said “There is nothing bigger in the music business today than live music. And I am looking to give students the opportunity to do what they can at the highest level.
“If they don’t understand the business they are going into, they’ll be behind the eight ball,’’ he said.
WENDY KILLEEN
Wendy Killeen can be reached at wdkilleen@gmail.com.
