City Music Network

Berklee City Music Scholarship Concert

It was 3:00 in the afternoon on Tuesday, August 10th, and as I walked in the back of the Berklee Performance Center I could feel the heightened excitement in the room. Berklee City Music 5 week students were rehearsing and sound checking for the big Scholarship Concert that night. Nervous anticipation abounded, and there was great excitement for that evening’s festivities.

Berklee scholarships were to be awarded to the seniors, and no one knew how many or to whom they were going.

I sat down in the audience later, armed with my camera, and wondering how these students were going to perform under the pressure of such a large audience and the looming scholarship announcements. I was amazed at the high level of musicianship and professionalism displayed by these students.

In the end 14 Berklee Scholarships were awarded to 14 remarkable young people. We all look forward to see them grow and realize their full potential.

Beyond Borders Update

Beyond Borders is the Berklee City Music student Jennifer Manzanillo’s initiative to spread peace, love, unity through the power of music.  By establishing specialized music programs, we hope to diminish adversity in less privileged communities.  This past May, we were able to go to the Dominican Republic and start our work at the Esperanza de un Niño Orphanage in the village of Monte Cristi.  Here is our story, check it out! Beyond Borders

Berklee City Music and Music Empowers Talk Partnership

Exciting things are happening at Berklee City Music. This past Friday Berklee President Roger Brown (right), and Berklee City Music Network Executive Director Curtis Warner (left) met with Andy Davis (center) of the Music Empowers Foundation. Here’s what Andy and Curtis had to say…

“Had a great meeting yesterday with Roger Brown,[...] and J. Curtis Warner, [...] The Berklee City Music Network is a fantastic program that brings contemporary music ed to 4th through 12th graders in inner cities. Program is in almost 20 cities now and expanding. Music Empowers Foundation will be partnering with City Music to help make this happen”

-Andy Davis

“It was great to meet Andy to discuss a partnership between Music Empowers and Berklee City Music. I look forward to working together.”

-Curtis Warner

Visit to Otis Redding Singer/Songwriter Camp

Last week, Curtis and Shelley visited Macon, Georgia to be a part of the Otis Redding Singer/Songwriter Camp. Presented by The Big ‘O’ Youth Educational Dream Foundation and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, 29 youth came prepared to make some music!

Students learn about the PULSE website!

Shelley presented a PULSE workshop to campers and counselors, giving them an overview of the method. Highlights from the presentation: Whack-a-Note, Drag-a-Form, interactive Circle of Fifths, One-on-One videos in the Practice Room, and the Notation Mixer.

Curtis and Shelley had a fabulous time with Otis Redding’s daughter, Karla Redding-Andrews, and her family and Lisa Love, Director of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. This is the beginning of a great partnership with The Big “O”, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, and Berklee.

Campers and staff of the Otis Redding Singer/Songwriter Camp 2010 pose with Curtis and Shelley at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame:

On the far right: Karla Redding-Andrews with J. Curtis Warner and Shelley Irvin-Kent

Five for Five

Five Students from the Stax Music Academy in Memphis, a Berklee City Music network site, received some exciting news recently.Normally two scholarships are awarded for students to attend the Berklee 5 Week Summer program, but those auditioning the students were so impressed with the talent that they offered three more students the opportunity to attend.

Congratulations to these students and we look forward to seeing you up here!

Check out this article for more information.