Berklee College of Music Turns 50 with Industry Savvy as Its Goal School's Results-Oriented Style Draws Students from around World Series: The College Kicks off Its 50th Anniversary with an April 29 Concert; Additional Events Continue throughout the Summer. While Known for Its Jazz, Students Study Everything from Rap to Country., LIZ LINDER

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Four young men clasp hands in greeting, then settle in to do what aspiring jazz musicians have done for decades: jam together on a stage the size of a postage stamp in the local hangout. The only difference is that these players are students at Berklee College of Music, and they are in class -- at least the kind of class the college aims for.

Berklee, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is well-known in the global music community, and 37 percent of its students come from outside the United States. Berklee also boasts of former students who have gone on to stardom: producer-arranger Quincy Jones, singer Melissa Etheridge, and sax phenomenon and former …