Piano
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Neil Olmstead, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"Musical ideas are nothing without technical ability. I often tell my students 'we play the piano with our entire body, not just our fingers and ears.' Our skeletal, muscular, and tendon structures work together and respond to each other in accord with the laws of nature as we play, regardless of whether it is jazz or classical music. I strive to help the pianist organize how the body moves, from the fingertip to the feet on the floor. This frees up the physical motions for greater facility, more beautiful tone, and deeper expression. It is a joyful moment when a student suddenly discovers how a motion in the forearm or torso will open up the sound or result in a new improvisational idea generated from deep in the subconscious."
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Tony Germain, Assistant Chair
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"Here at Berklee, I'm giving back to something that has given me everything. I often describe Berklee as a musical Fantasy Island. I just don't know where else I'd be happy."
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Matt Jenson, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"Any artist out there, whether they're formally trained or not, needs to go out there and learn to play like the people they're inspired by. You've got to study, develop some ability and technique, but then the great artists come out and say, 'I'm going to put it together in my own way.' And that's new, that's exciting."
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David Limina, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"I like to stress practical skills like playing the right thing for the right situation, and I also teach different styles because being able to cover a wide range of styles will make you marketable as a player. I stress playing with good time, good phrasing, and not overplaying. One of the biggest lessons I give them from my own real-life experience is that a gig usually isn't about highlighting yourself; it's more about functioning in an ensemble and playing your part. They have to learn how to play in a band, and Berklee's a great place to do that."
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Nando Michelin, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"I take an individual approach to each student. And if I ask my students to use a certain sound to write a song, I tell them, 'Wherever the song takes you, go with it. I'd rather you tell me you wrote a song that has nothing to do with what I gave you, and it sounds great, than tell me you threw away ten songs because you wanted to do one like I asked you to do.' If my students understand that the music comes first all the time, then they get to that point at which they always are trying to break down barriers and let the music take over.'"
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Marc Rossi, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"Learning how to learn is very important: learning how to practice, how to be creative, how to organize ideas, how to finish things, how to get from point A to point B, how to take responsibility, and how to be aware of what you're doing. I also want to disabuse students of the notion that it's just about winning or losing. It's about doing something well and the pursuit of excellence."
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John Mulroy, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"As a teacher, I always demonstrate the pieces we're working on, and even record my playing in class so students can listen and give a critique. Of course, I have them do the same. I ask them to listen for a singing tone, crisp articulations, dynamic shading, a steady flow—in other words, a musical representation of the piece."
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Francesca Tanksley, Associate Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"Respecting the person, the unique direction in which want to go, and their all-around potential, are most important. In this atmosphere, students find a safe environment in which to further explore their own musical voice, while continuing to hone their technique. And the result, they tell me, is real interest and dedication."
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Frank Carlberg, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"What you get as a student at Berklee is a wide variety of options matching your interests with a faculty member's interests. Because of the size of the program, you're also going to run into other students who have similar interests as you, no matter what your interests are. As teachers, sometimes we like to think of ourselves as doing the most important job, but I do think that the interaction between students is just as important. I would even say that it might be the best thing that the school has to offer."
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Jeff Covell, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Piano Department"When I was a student, I was fortunate to have had some excellent teachers with very different approaches. Some were very good at organizing and presenting material in a way that was effective. Others were more spontaneous and conceptual, and taught more by way of example. I try to bring this same mix to my own students, in an environment of support than emphasizes diligence, creativity, and personal identity. I want them to know what I think their priorities are in terms of their being successful—as musicians and as artists—and I hope to give them some idea of how to nurture their own creative spark."
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