On May 20th, 2015 I embarked on a two and a half-week European tour, filled with a combination of workshops and concerts. I decided that this time I would focus on my workshops on collective improvisation, targeting conservatory students, advanced amateurs and professional musicians. In addition I had a few solo concerts and improvisational concerts with local musicians interested in collaborating on a spontaneous note. Fortunately Berklee has been extremely generous in supporting the master class portion of this tour, making it all possible. An exciting tour with lots of new musical encounters (I felt like a real musical troubadour), and some extremely rewarding responses from the workshop participants.
Tag: Improvisation (Page 1 of 3)
Improvisation
Post authored by Amanda Gouldthorpe, assistant director for Office of International Programs
“Bom dia” from the warm and welcoming campus of our BIN partner the Conservatório Musical Souza Lima in São Paulo, Brazil, hosts of the first-ever Berklee on the Road in Brazil! The Berklee in São Paulo: Art of Improvisation – Blues and Jazz program kicked off yesterday, with 70 students attending seminars and master classes in this four-day program.
Featuring Berklee faculty Fernando Huergo, George Russell, Jr. and Casey Scheuerell, and Souza Lima faculty Lupa Santiago (also Souza Lima’s vice director, and a Berklee alum) and Guilherme Ribeiro, the program gives students a taste of the Berklee and Souza Lima experience. The Office of International Programs‘ “On the Road” program model is designed to promote educational exchange and provide students with an insight into what our institution is all about, in addition to giving them the opportunity to learn from our first-class faculty and to make new musical connections.
We are very pleased to have Berklee’s vice president of Global Initiatives/executive director of Berklee Valencia, Guillermo Cisneros, here with us to kick off the program. And as I’ve already mentioned, we’ve received the most wonderful welcome from the team here at Souza Lima. Director Antonio Mário da Silva Cunha, with the support of Cristiane Cunha and the fantastic staff here, have gone above and beyond not only to make the program run without a hitch, but to make us feel at ease – which isn’t hard, in such an open environment full of music and energy at every turn.
The program will be followed by two days of Berklee Auditions & Interviews here at Souza Lima, with additional A&I happening in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the month (http://berklee.edu/admissions/aidates#south_america). Check out photos from the Berklee on the Road event here: http://www.souzalima.com.br/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=62:berklee-on-the-road-sp&Itemid=234&lang=pt.
Greetings! My name is Andre Vasconcelos and I am the writer for the brazilian Portuguese section of the Berklee Blogs website. I have been writing for the blogs for 2 years now and its been a time filled with great and unique opportunities. Through this job I got to meet a lot of great artists and to, sometimes, interview them.
Writing blogs about meeting these accomplished artists is always great, I get to learn quite a lot from their experiences and lifestyles. This post is particularly special to me because I got to do an email interview with one of my favorite musicians of all time, the legendary jazz guitarist Pat Metheny. Metheny recently released his last album, Unity Band, with Chris Potter, Ben Williams, and Antonio Sanchez.
Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez, Pat Metheny and Ben Williams. Photo by Jimmy Katz
When I found out that Pat Metheny would be performing the Unity Band at the Berklee Performance Center on October the 14th, not only I decided to secure the date to catch yet another one of his stunning performances but I also thought about trying to interview him for the blogs. Working closely with my bosses at the Admissions Office and with his publicist Sue Auclair I was able to email the guitarist some questions. Read below Pat’s answers to my inquiries! Enjoy!
By Jason Camelio, director of international programs.
Lollapalooza - Brazil award winner Sarah Messias and Ipshita Roy from India hang with Rick Peckham after the Art of Improvisation afternoon master class.
The afternoon session at the end of the first day of the Art of Improvisation: Blues and Jazz program was coming to an end. As the room began to clear an oddly familiar — in the land of Berklee — event took place. Two young women were having a discussion with assistant chair of the guitar department, Rick Peckham. This is fairly common. It gets interesting when you learn about the two talented musicians speaking with Rick.
First, we have a young Brazilian Blues vocalist and harp player Sarah Messias. Sarah is the winner of the 2012 Lollapalooza – Brazil Scholarship. The award affords her the chance to attend the Art of Improvisation program at no cost! Her peer is also a talented young Blues vocalist from India, Ipshita Roy. Both musicians are enjoying some level of musical success in their home countries. Both have traveled a great distance to the new campus in Valencia to make this connection.
For some, this would be the makings a fine Odd Couples sequel. But, for those of us at Berklee it is just another day in the classroom. The exceptions being that these two musicians totally ROCKED it during the afternoon master class.
Faculty members for the 2012 Berklee Groove School and Art of Improvisation
Vocalists and Instrumentalist of all styles are encouraged to check out two new special programs Berklee will produce at our new campus in Valencia, Spain this summer. Berklee Groove School and the Art of Improvisation: Blues and Jazz will introduce musicians to the important topics related to live performance.