Students Go Virtual for 'Berklee Anywhere' Concert Series
Jobi Riccio will perform on April 7, livestreaming via Berklee's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Image courtesy of the artist
While the majority of concerts and events around the globe have been canceled, students at Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee continue to create music and perform in innovative ways. The Berklee Anywhere (promoted as #BerkleeAnywhere) concert series will feature College and Conservatory students streaming performances from their locations around the world, bringing live music to a captive audience looking to enjoy arts and music as before. Student performers will be raising money for the Berklee Student Emergency Fund, which supports students in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19. The series will be broadcast via Berklee’s Instagram and Facebook pages starting on Tuesday, April 7, at 8:00 p.m. EST, and will occur weekly.
“Virtual performances are quickly becoming the norm everywhere, and it's amazing to see how humans continue to find ways to connect artistically even during a pandemic,” says Jonathan Foo, concert producer and event liaison for Berklee. “The Berklee community may be separated by distance, but music and technology empowers us to unite. We're excited to help our student talents share some love with the world.”
The first concert will feature singer-songwriter Jobi Riccio, a Berklee student from Denver, Colorado. Taking inspiration from artists such as Buck Owens and Joni Mitchell, Riccio melds classic country sounds with modern stylings and a touch of bluegrass to create her personal brand of Americana music. She is the winner of the 2019 NewSong Music Competition, was a finalist in the 2018 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriters Showcase, and performed at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Her debut EP, Strawberry Wine, is an ode to the women of country music.
“It means a lot to be involved in this concert series and to still be performing and remaining connected with the Berklee community during this time,” says Riccio. “Creating and performing music is a communal activity, and to be unable to play in person with my friends and peers has been very hard, though I've been amazed by the global music community’s efforts to support each other and continue playing and sharing music through the internet.”
The concert series will showcase artists in a different context, as each week students will find new ways to perform through a virtual medium. “I will be performing in my bedroom in my mom's house in Colorado, which I think will bring a personal and topical touch to the concert,” remarks Riccio. “I think art and music offer the human connection we are yearning for as we engage in this beautiful, though incredibly isolating, act of human solidarity that is staying home.“
The #BerkleeAnywhere concert series will broadcast every week on Tuesdays, with next week’s show featuring a performance by singer-songwriter LEW from Singapore. Visit the Student Emergency Fund online for more information on how you can support urgent relief efforts at Berklee. For more information on the concert series, as well as an updated schedule of artists, please visit Berklee’s Instagram and Facebook page.
