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Founder and Artistic Director of the Jazz Performance Arts Collective (JPAC), Diane Richardson served as Professor and Assistant Chair of the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music until her retirement in 2015.  

 

JPAC works collaboratively with other artists in a multi-disciplinary environment focusing on the works of  jazz singers and other musicians and composers, emphasizing the importance of  vocal jazz. JPAC offers adult jazz education programs, instruction, classes, and performance.

 

JPAC projects include The Magic of Abbey Lincoln; SingusMingus, a program showcasing the life and music of composer Charles Mingus; and Sanctuary: The Sacred Music of Edward “Duke” Ellington. Visit JPAC Presents  for more information on current and future programs.

 

Diane Richardson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Studies, Music Education and Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Southern California, a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies from The Boston Conservatory, a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

 

Recordings include "Portrait: The Music of Charles Mingus," "Negro Spirituals and African American Art Songs, "and "The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington." She has performed  with the Berklee Sun Ra Arkestra, the Langston Hughes Project: Twelve Moods for Jazz, and was a member of the Boston-based big band Makanda Project. Visit JPAC Presents! for more information on local performances.

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