Interdisciplinary Arts Institute Ensemble

My Trip to Brazil: Performing at the 3rd Biennale of Bahia

Posted by Magen

On September 12, 2014

In Berklee on Tour, Brazil, Student Experience

Alexia Riner was one of several students selected to travel with Berklee’s Interdisciplinary Arts Institute Ensemble to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in July 2014. The trip included an exchange at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), where BIAI members collaborated with UFBA students and share their research in interdisciplinary production, modular synthesizer design, and interactive music apps, and culminated in a concert at the 3rd Bahia Biennale at the Goethe-Institut theater. Read more with our student blog posts from Brazil, view Alexia’s photos from the trip, or read the official press releases in English and Portuguese.

Going to Brazil on behalf of the Berklee Interdisciplinary Arts Institute was an unforgettable experience. We were exposed to an entirely new culture that opened my eyes and ears to the arts of Brazil.

Before going we studied the music of enigmatic Swiss/Brazilian musican Walter Smetak. He worked as a cellist, luthier, improvisor and had a major and mentored Brazilian luminaries Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. Smetak won a prize for research in the 1st Biennale and taught at the Universidade Federal da Bahia that hosted our exchange along with the Biennale.

Brazil 2014: Biennial da Bahia (Jason Lim, Part 2)

Posted by Magen

On September 11, 2014

In Berklee on Tour, Brazil, Student Experience

Jason Lim was one of several students selected to travel with Berklee’s Interdisciplinary Arts Institute Ensemble to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in July 2014. The trip included an exchange at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), where BIAI members collaborated with UFBA students and share their research in interdisciplinary production, modular synthesizer design, and interactive music apps, and culminated in a concert at the 3rd Bahia Biennale at the Goethe-Institut theater. Read more with our student blog posts from Brazil, view photos from the trip, or read the official press releases in English and Portuguese.

Monday 14^th July. Day one in Bahia after arriving the previous night. We met Christiano Figueiró, the faculty member who leads the body of students we were collaborating with. First step was to source power adapters so we could use our computers and instruments. My biggest concern on arrival was whether or not I would even be able to power my modular synth. I own a Doepfer A-100 case with a PSU suited for US 110 volts AC standard. During my layover in Sao Paulo I noticed that many power sockets in and around the airport were 220 volts, which set alarm bells ringing! Thankfully the region of Salvador uses 110V as standard so I just needed a socket adapter.

Brazil 2014: Biennial da Bahia (Jason Lim, Part 1)

Posted by Magen

On September 9, 2014

In Berklee on Tour, Brazil, Student Experience

Jason Lim was one of several students selected to travel with Berklee’s Interdisciplinary Arts Institute Ensemble to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in July 2014. The trip included an exchange at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), where BIAI members collaborated with UFBA students and share their research in interdisciplinary production, modular synthesizer design, and interactive music apps, and culminated in a concert at the 3rd Bahia Biennale at the Goethe-Institut theater. Read more with our student blog posts from Brazil, view photos from the trip, or read the official press releases in English and Portuguese.

The months leading up to the trip to Brazil was a very busy time. I had family from Scotland in town in Boston for my graduation ceremony, I was prototyping future products for Qu-Bit during any spare moment and the 3^rd production run of the Nebulæ module was about to begin. I spent about a month from May 22^nd in Rancho Cucamonga, CA with Qu-Bit’s other half, Andrew Ikenberry (Berklee Alumni ’13), where we worked 12 hour days soldering modules and writing new firmware.

Berklee in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil

Posted by Magen

On September 7, 2014

In Berklee on Tour, Brazil, Student Experience

Dalton Harts was one of several students selected to travel with Berklee’s Interdisciplinary Arts Institute Ensemble to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in July 2014. The trip included an exchange at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), where BIAI members collaborated with UFBA students and share their research in interdisciplinary production, modular synthesizer design, and interactive music apps, and culminated in a concert at the 3rd Bahia Biennale at the Goethe-Institut theater. Read more with our student blog posts from Brazil, view photos from the trip, or read the official press releases in English and Portuguese.

This summer I was fortunate enough to travel on behalf of the Berklee Interdisciplinary Arts Institute (BIAI) to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, for a performance at the third Bahia Biennale as well as an exchange with the University Federal da Bahia (UFBA). The Biennale is a 100-day art and culture festival that draws artists from 22 countries to create over 30 events and exhibitions across Salvador and the state of Bahia. We worked closely with students of music and technology from the UFBA, lead by UFBA faculty Cristiano Figueiró.

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