Berklee Live at the Zoo
Berklee student volunteers perform at Franklin Park Zoo.
Berklee student volunteers do their best to enthrall the king of the jungle.
On Saturday, October 5, Berklee's student-led program the Movement will perform for the animals at Franklin Park Zoo, located in Boston’s historic Franklin Park, as part of the zoo’s animal enrichment program, from noon to 3:00 p.m.
Enrichment is an important part of the animal care program at the zoo as it helps excite the animals’ senses, and encourages the animals to use their natural abilities and behaviors to interact with their environment. To advance this aim in a Berklee way, four student volunteers from the Movement will rotate around the zoo playing at the different exhibits.
“Bringing music to zoo animals illustrates in a single moment the universality of music, the compassion of community service work, and the cutting-edge spirit of Berklee.”
—Eve Alpern, Community and Government Relations
“We are always looking for new and different ways to introduce enrichment and stimuli for our animals here at the zoo,” said Anne Knapp, director of animal resources for Zoo New England. “Auditory enrichment, like the music being played by students from the Movement at Berklee, gives our animals the chance to hear and react to new and different sounds the way they might in the wild. Music often piques the curiosity of our animals, and visitors to the zoo have the chance to enjoy the music as well, making this program a plus-plus.”
The Movement’s outreach performance at the zoo was created in 2014 by Eve Alpern, manager of community programs and events in Berklee’s Community and Government Relations Department, in conjunction with Zoo New England President John Linehan. "This event is the perfect marriage of Zoo New England’s commitment to animal enrichment and Berklee’s drive to use music in new and exciting ways,” said Alpern. “Bringing music to zoo animals illustrates in a single moment the universality of music, the compassion of community service work, and the cutting-edge spirit of Berklee.”
The Movement comprises student, faculty, staff, and alumni volunteers who collaborate with partner organizations during the academic year to conduct a broad range of community service activities through the performing arts, including youth mentorship, performance outreach, and musical instruction. The program allows students, faculty, staff, and alumni to interact with individuals and organizations outside of the college setting in hopes of positively impacting the world around them.
