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VIDEO: Berklee College of Music alums dominating Grammy Awards




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(NECN: Scot Yount) - It's a record in the record business. Twenty-five Berklee College of Music alums are nominated for 30 prestigious Grammy Awards.

Katy Perry, Rhianna, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars all owe part of their huge commercial success to Berklee grads.

In fact, six nominees all working behind the scenes in engineering and song writing are in the top six categories, including album of the year and song of the year.

"I am not surprised. It is what I expect, what I want, that's why I am here at Berklee," said Prince Charles Alexander who teaches production and engineering at Berklee and himself is a three-time Grammy winner.

Alexander produced records for Mary J. Blige P. Diddy, the Notorious B. I. G. He is excited that Berklee grads are churning out the hits.

"So to invest in trying to get to the top of the charts yourself, I think is what musicians don't necessarily need to strive to do, but I think it is something that should be considered in their careers," said Alexander.

Some of the nominees are Claude Kelly, nominated for song writing on Bruno Mar's ‘Grenade,’ up for song of the year.

Miles Walker, a 2004 grad, is nominated for recording engineer on Katy Perry's Firework Album which is up for record of the year. Walker also is nominated along with Berklee alum Makeba Riddick, producer for Loud by Rihanna, also up for album of the year.

"It is such a pleasure to know that there is a musical intellect and a relationship with Berklee College of Music behind Makeba," said Alexander.

None of this is lost on the students in the production and engineering departments at Berklee.

"I think it is a pretty great thing, interesting to see how teaching the way that students are being taught here are getting a larger grasp of the music that is out there. And being able to see everything that's out there to get a sound that will be appealing to a larger audience," said student Dylan Vukelich.

"Actually really happy with the engineering side and the mixing side some of the stuff that is taught here I think it is really cool that some of the top people in mixing world are from Berklee," said student Jayvon Rymer.

Students here know the Grammy nominations are shining a light on more than just a music school, it is the chance to work with professors like Alexander.

"That's what makes this school, is the teachers more than the facilities, you know you leave the classes and that's when you make the music and it totally defines your sound," said student Donald Kaufman.

And that sound is defining the 21st century.