Berklee College of Music canceled classes Thursday in response to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases among students, according to a statement from Berklee President Erica Muhl.

“Due to our careful testing protocols, we detected a recent uptick in positive cases of COVID-19 in our student population,” Muhl said in the statement. “Our faculty and staff positivity rates have remained low; we attribute the rise in student cases to off-campus student gatherings.”

The rate of positive COVID-19 cases among Berklee students and staff “is still well below the current rate in Boston and the state of Massachusetts,” Muhl said. However, the administration “is taking additional proactive steps to protect our community over the coming days, including minimizing campus-based activities and shifting from in-person to remote instruction through Tuesday, November 23.”

In a letter to students and parents, Muhl cancelled all performances, rehearsals, and other group events through Nov. 23. The college will resume in-person learning Nov. 29, the statement said. 

Berklee’s vaccination rate was 96.9% as of Nov. 18. The college’s positivity rate from Nov. 11 to Nov. 17 was 0.82%, according to the college’s testing dashboard.