Alum Notes: L.A. Newsbriefs
This year's Berklee in L.A. one-week summer program was a big success. Each year the program increases both in size and scope, and with attendees totaling over 300, this was easily the largest enrollment to date. For the second year, Latin jazz courses were offered. With this year's addition of faculty members Victor Mendoza '81, Oscar Stagnaro, and Michael Ringquist '87, Berklee clearly displayed depth in this genre. Significant scholarship support, provided by the Latin Jazz Institute and Bank of America, created the opportunity for numerous inner-city students to attend this program. As a result, both the level of talent and degree of diversity were impressive.
The visiting artist series produced many memorable sessions. Mark Goldstein, senior vice president of business and legal affairs, Warner Bros. Records, spoke to the students about the basic business issues involved in developing a music career and the opportunities provided by the Internet. Eric Marienthal '79 spoke about his education at Berklee and his career and offered numerous practice tips. He also invited students to join him onstage for a jam session. Vinnie Colaiuta '75 and Neil Stubenhaus '75 also spoke of their Berklee experience and careers and demonstrated why they are one of the most in-demand rhythm section teams in the studio world. Carl Verheyen '75, guitarist with Super Tramp, displayed amazing chops in a concert of original music played with bassist Cliff Hugo (also with Super Tramp) and drummer Steve DiStanislau. Vocal students were treated to outstanding clinics by vocal coach/artist/producer Leanne Summers '88, singer/actress Ann Cusack '87, and background vocalist Jeff Ramsey '90.
Congratulations to Emmy nominees Alf Clausen '66 and Elmo Ponsdomenech '83. Ponsdomenech received his in the category of Sound Mixing for a Drama Series for his work on "NYPD Blue (Raging Bulls)." Clausen was nominated in the category of Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) for "The Simpsons (Treehouse of Horror IX)." In May, Clausen was also awarded an honorary doctorate in music at North Dakota State University.
As for players in the news this summer: drummer Joe Travers '91 and bassist Wes Wehmiller '92 toured with Duran Duran. Drummer Chris Lukes '96 performed with All-4-One, and bassist Philip Bynoe '81 toured with guitar ace Steve Vai '79. Bob Harsen '82 was the drummer for the Glenn Hughes (of Deep Purple) tour and gave clinics for Meinl Cymbals, Pork Pie Percussion, Audio-Technica, Remo, and Regal Tip. Terry Wollman '80 has just released his second solo album entitled Say Yes. The disc features Wollman on acoustic guitars with a band that includes "JR" Robinson '75, Abraham Laboriel Sr. '72, Luis Conte, Joe Sample, and Michael McDonald.
In the world of film and TV music: Eric Speier '87 has just completed 26 episodes of the TV series "The Aquanauts" and is now scoring the WB Network prime-time animated series "Mission Hill." Ernest Troost '78 scored the Emmy-nominated film "A Lesson before Dying" (starring Don Cheadle and Cicely Tyson), and the recent MGM feature One Man's Hero starring Tom Berenger. Kevin Kliesch '92 and Richard Gibbs '77 cowrote the score to the NBC movie The Jesse Ventura Story. Kliesch also scored the TNT movie A Slight Case of Murder and orchestrated 10 Things I Hate about You and The Thirteenth Floor. Sharon Farber '97 scored the Showtime movie A Class of Its Own (starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Joan Chen), an independent feature called The Yup Yup Man, and one titled Chicken Pox Dipper (screened at the Atlanta Film Festival). Jeff Lingle '95 was music editor for the movies Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me, The Astronaut's Wife, and Stigmata, and TV shows "Dash and Lilly," "Beggars and Choosers," and "The King of Queens." Howard Shore '69 scored the Warner Bros. movie Analyze This(starring Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro). Will Richter '96 was composer for the USA Network movie Judgment Day: The Ellie Nessler Story. Karen Guthery '90 cowrote the song "The Hebe Jebe" which will be featured in a Halloween television special entitled "Monster Mash."
Wendy Levy '87 composed the music and lyrics for the new musical Miss Something recently staged at the Stella Adler Theater. The Los Angeles Mozart Chamber Players performed the premiere of Trilogy for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano composed by Gernot Wolfgang '89.
That's it for now. Stay in touch.
Peter Gordon '78
Director,
Berklee Center in Los Angeles
