Upcoming Events: David Friend Recital Hall

Listen to the music of more than 150 exceptional faculty and student performers and mingle with special guests at Berklee's biggest party. Held annually for the past 14 years, the evening features live and silent auctions, including unique only-through-Berklee celebrity experiences and vacation packages, musical equipment, tickets to sporting and music events, and much more. All proceeds benefit the Berklee City Music Program. For more information, see the Gala website.

Faculty trumpeter and vocalist Christine Fawson presents jazzy, funky original compositions performed by a slammin' horn section, grooving rhythm section, and hot vocals.

Dorian Holley, associate music director and vocal coach on American Idol, teaches a two-day intensive on how to prepare for your journey as a working singer in the music business. He will cover auditioning and "what you should be doing now" to equip yourself. A working vocalist for over 21 years, Holley has done all Michael Jackson's solo tours. [details]

Faculty vocalist Lisa Thorson will present an evening of spirited and soulful jazz featuring her longtime collaborators Tim Ray, piano; faculty bassist David Clark; drummer George Schuller; and special guest faculty vocalist Joey Blake. Compositions include works by Ellington, Jobim, Sting, and Thorson, as well as featured wordless originals and songs featuring Lisa's lyrics.

Guitar faculty member Thaddeus Hogarth leads his group in a performance of original funk and rhythm and blues material from his upcoming DVD Live at Bose II. The ensemble includes David Sparr on keyboards, David Buda on bass (faculty), and Joey Scrima (summer faculty) on drums, with Hogarth on vocals, guitar, and chromatic harmonica.

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer '71 will give a clinic. [details]

From the fall of 2005 through the summer of 2007, percussion department professor Steve Wilkes traveled to Japan, researching the Japanese underground electronic music scene. Berklee is now proud to showcase three of the preeminent artists that he met and interviewed during his travels. These three laptop artists—who work in styles ranging from “microsound” to ambient to electronica—will be performing in an intimate clinic setting. [details]

The Esterhazy Quartet will be in residence at Berklee October 20 through October 24. During this time, they will present a series of concerts and workshops. This event will be a reading and recording session of the music of student composers.

FunkHouse kicks butt, but they also caress cheek. Their music is like being thrown out of a bar by a 350-pound bouncer and then waking to realize it was only a dream and your mother is lovingly waking you with a kiss. No, no, no...it's like having Mike Tyson, dressed in his finest evening gown, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, and then biting it off. They're the jazz equivalent of the iTunes visualizer. Or to put it another way: FunkHouse is an energetic blend of modern jazz, funk, blues, 20th-century classical, Indian classical, and European and American folk music, which create a funky, groove-oriented, fresh, and original sound. [details]

The Esterhazy Quartet will be in residence at Berklee October 20 through October 24. During this time, they will present a series of concerts and workshops. This event will be a performance by the renowned group.

Music for robots, gamelan, and other Western instruments by members of Gamelan Galak Tika and Ensemble Robot, presented by faculty member Ramon Castillo. Our sound mixes Balinese music, rock, jazz, funk, musique concrète, and ambient electronica. We are the only collaboration of Balinese Ggmelan and musical robots anywhere. The concert will feature works by Sachi Sato, Christine Southworth, Po-ChunWang, Midori Matsuo, and Ramon Castillo. [details]

Piazzolla Tango duets for violin and guitar and other South American music will be performed by Peter Alhadeff.

Under the direction of faculty member Ricardo Monzon, an ensemble will perform traditional, folkloric, and popular marimba music from Guatemala as well as readings from Guatemalan poets and writers including Nobel Prize winners Miguel Angel Asturias and Rigoberta Menchú.

Pianist/composer Emi Inaba presents original compositions and arrangements. The music of Emi Inaba is a unique and innovative blend of styles ranging from classical to modern jazz. This performance will be featuring her quintet with guest string section. [details]

A piano/bass/drums trio will perform original compositions in a mixture of jazz with European influences by group leader Rafal Rokicki with drummer Thomas Hartman and bassist Zak Croxall.

Storytellers, in its 12th year at Berklee, features "the story behind the song," as told by some of Berklee's most talented pop/rock singers and songwriters under the direction of faculty member Didi Stewart.

An eclectic mix of groove, funk, jazz, and fusion originals and arrangements will be performed by drummer Thomas Hartman and his group including bassist Zak Croxall and guitarist Rany Runyon.

The group will be playing Brazilian jazz and various styles of Brazilian music.

A concert dedicated to the three giants of Cuban piano: Rubén González, Lilí Martínez Griñán, and Pedro "Peruchín" Justíz. These three gentlemen established standards of virtuosity and style in the 1940s and 1950s that still challenge and inspire musicians today. A quartet led by faculty member/pianist Rebecca Cline will perform classic pieces associated with these legends of Cuban music.

Traditional music and dance from the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé will be performed under the direction of Marcus Santos. Sponsored by the Latin Culture Celebration.

Berklee's stellar Flute Choir, under the direction of Woodwind Department faculty member Wendy Rolfe, will delight the audience with music from Brazil, France, and beyond. Come and hear featured flute soloists with guitar, piano, percussion, and more.

Faculty composer Michael Wartofsky, librettist/lyricist Kathleen Cahill, director Daniella Topol, and a student cast present an original pop/Broadway love story and time-traveling sea adventure inspired by true events.

Various rock, pop, r&b, and country songs featuring the winning top 10 student songwriters for the fall of 2008.