Music Professors

José Castillo

José Castillo is a composer and music educator with 20 years of experience. José graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston MA earning two music scholarships and graduating Magna Cum Laude. The experience acquired through the years has granted José with qualifications that allowed him to be knowledgeable in different genres of music, therefore making him a much sought-after musician, arranger, producer and educator. His flawlessness of the instrument and melodic approach has granted him the opportunity to performed with many Grammy wining artist. His work has received great reviews in some of the top music industry’s magazines such as Guitar Player, Guitar Magazine, and Modern Drummer. Currently Jose is an active performer, studio owner, speaker, clinician, and a college music professor at Clark University and Music Coordinator at Quinsigamond Community College.

Local news (Worcester):

Jose was a recipient of the 2015 Fellowship grant by the city of Worcester and later served as a member of the Worcester Arts Council (WAC)

Tom Herbert

Educator, Performer, Composer, Arranger, Information Technology Specialist and Digital Production Programmer.  Tom Herbert holds a Bachelors in Music Composition from Berklee College of Music and Lowell University, including a Master’s of Science in Information Technology from Clark University. He is a member of the Board of Directors at Worcester’s Jazz Radio Station WICN.

Tom brings to his Jazz in America Class not only his experiences as a Jazz and R&B performer but, also his technology skills to compliment students digital recording and listening experience. Tom is an active saxophone player in the Worcester and Boston area and participates with many bands as a freelance musician.  As part of his Jazz class Tom often brings guest artists to perform and occasionally have teachers from Berklee College present a Jazz Workshop for all students.

John Coltrane - "When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people."

Alan Pearlmutter

Originally a jazz drummer and currently a pop keyboard player for senior entertainment programs, Alan Pearlmutter is a classical music conductor. Besides Quinsigamond, he currently teaches at Bristol Community College in Fall River, MA and Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, MA. He also has served Boston University’s online graduate music education program and the Department of Fine Arts of Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.  Prior to his relocation to Boston, he served the music departments of numerous colleges in the St. Louis/ Illinois region.  

Alan established Kammerwerke in Boston in 2006. Currently a double wind quintet, its ten musicians emerged from an earlier chamber orchestra format in order to perform wind music. Alan conducts these rarely known classical works for dectet.

Alan has composed numerous miniatures including works for chamber orchestra, brass quintet, woodwind quintet, SATB chorus, and two works for double wind quintet, the most recent of which was performed by Kammerwerke.

Alan Pearlmutter was originally educated at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, where he received bachelors and masters degrees. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore.