Luis Javier Santiago Sierra

Luis Javier Santiago Sierra, Director of University Ensembles, is a native of Yauco, Puerto Rico and a professional musician with nearly 30 years of experience. His professional career started at 17 years old when he joined the US Army as a percussionist with the 248^th Army Band of the Puerto Rico National Guard. In 2006, he was commissioned as a US Army Warrant Officer and since he has commanded the 248^th Army Band, the 319^th Army Band, and currently the 78th Army Band. Additionally, Javier served as Music Professor at the University of Puerto Rico where he taught Marching and Concert Band, and served as Marching Band Director for the Office of Youth Affairs of Puerto Rico.

Prior to joining BU, he worked at Berklee College of Music as an Assistant Director of Admissions for the Americas, Assistant Director of Global Programs, and as Military Affairs Representative-Berklee Online. During his time at Berklee, he developed and managed the Berklee Latino program conducted in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile which focused in performance, songwriting, and production workshops.

Javier is a graduate of Berklee College of Music with a BM in Professional Music and holds a MMus in Songwriting from Bath Spa University, UK.