The Frost School of Music at the University of Miami Appoints Serona Elton as Interim Vice Dean Ahead of its 100th Anniversary

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The Music Industry Leader and Frost School Veteran Will Serve in the Newly Created Role as Shelton "Shelly" G. Berg Continues to Solidify the Future of the Elite Music School in his Last Year as Dean

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Frost School School of Music at the University of Miami approaches its 100th anniversary in October 2026, the highly acclaimed music institution has appointed Serona Elton as interim vice dean. In her new role, Elton will serve alongside Frost School Dean Shelton "Shelly" G. Berg during his final year of leadership before he steps down in the spring of 2026 after nearly two decades of transformative leadership. At that time, Berg will return to his acclaimed musical career, which includes six GRAMMY nominations, groundbreaking artist collaborations, and performances on stages across the globe.

As interim vice dean, Elton will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Frost School, while continuing to serve as director of its highly regarded Music Industry program. She will work closely with Berg to help ensure the Frost School continues to provide a best-in-class educational experience for students while continuing to elevate the reputation of the school, which regularly attracts top students from around the world as well as faculty members who have made names for themselves as performers, composers, scientists, and educators.

Dean Shelton "Shelly" G. Berg of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami said, "I've always said that the future of music is the future that our student musicians and aspiring industry professionals will be able to create for themselves, and it's been a privilege to be able to help Frost School of Music students chart a course for fulfillment and success by giving them access to an outstanding multidisciplinary curriculum, inspirational faculty, and priceless real-world experiences. From the day I started at the Frost School, I focused on setting a new standard for music schools and I feel confident that newly named Interim Vice Dean Serona Elton, along with the rest of our talented administrative staff and faculty members, will continue to tirelessly work to benefit the next generation of musicians and music industry professionals while actively shaping the future of music - no matter what it may look like in the coming years."

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Since being named as dean of the Frost School of Music in 2007, Berg has been instrumental in transforming the music school into a groundbreaking example of a new model of music education that has prepared thousands of students for successful careers - and are now leading the way at music companies and schools and sharing their music with others via concerts, streams, and more. As he begins his final year as dean, Berg is focused on preparing the Frost School for its next 100 years by continuing to infuse innovation into the music school curriculum and infrastructure, demonstrating why the Frost School is one of the top music schools in the world, and helping to secure meaningful donations to further build a strong endowment.

Serona Elton, Interim Vice Dean and Director of the Music Industry program at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, said, "I started my tenure at the Frost School of Music shortly before Dean Berg and it's been an incredible experience to witness his impact on the school and collegiate level music education more broadly. It's my pleasure to be able to collaborate with him to help ensure the continued effectiveness of the school's day-to-day operations as we continue to focus on creating the next wave of what we call "Frost Built" students, who because of their education at the Frost School are uniquely set up to be best-in-class professionals in their fields thanks to the variety of skills they hone here."

Under Elton's leadership, the Frost School has been named as a top music business school by Billboard magazine for 10 years in a row, and has had a place on the list since it was first published by the leading music industry magazine. As head of its Music Industry program, Elton oversaw the creation of several new degree options including a joint Master of Arts in Music Industry plus Juris Doctor degree, and new variation of its increasingly popular undergraduate program, a Bachelor's of Arts in Music Industry, which welcomes students who are passionate about music and the business side of the industry but don't wish to also create or perform music as part of their coursework, among many other achievements. In 2023, Elton was honored with the first-ever Music Business Educator of the Year Award by the Music Business Association (MusicBiz) in celebration of her efforts to inspire students to enter the music business.

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As one of the top music schools in the world, the Frost School of Music and its esteemed faculty members aim to give students a broader skillset and view of the world - right from its world-class, cutting-edge teaching spaces and performance venues on the University of Miami campus. In doing so, the Frost School is enabling the next generation of professionals to be proficient in the critical skills that will ultimately help lead to their future leadership and success.

About the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami
Established in 1926, the highly acclaimed Frost School of Music at the University of Miami is one of the top music schools in the world. In addition to being repeatedly recognized as a top music business school by Billboard magazine, the Frost School is listed as a top music school by Downbeat Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, InTune Magazine, Musical America Worldwide, Niche, College Factual, and U.S. News and World Report, among others. Students choose to attend the school for its innovative and dynamic curriculum; real-world opportunities in the U.S. and abroad; award-winning, highly regarded faculty; access to local Latin music record labels, festivals, and artists; and its state-of-the-art campus in Miami, one of the top music cities in the world.

Students who attend the Frost School benefit from its "THIS AND" approach to education thanks to its priority on combining traditional concentrations with cutting-edge programs that equip students with the artistic, technological, and entrepreneurial skills needed for success in today's world. Referred to as the Frost Method®, this unique approach enables students to become well-rounded musicians and industry professionals. Around the world, Frost School alumni are known as being "Frost Built," a term that's become synonymous with the music creators, performers, educators, therapists, technologists, and industry professionals of the future who are ready to realize their professional passions, establish themselves as leaders, and make real contributions to society - thanks to their multidisciplinary education.

More information on the Frost School is available at frost.miami.edu.

Media Contact:
Maddie Hilf
[email protected]

SOURCE Frost School of Music at the University of Miami
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