On the Road Again

One of the best ways to introduce music students to the Berklee teaching methodology is to bring the classroom to them. This was the concept envisioned by Gary Burton and Larry Monroe in the Berklee on the Road education series, which is offered in various locations.
October 1, 2013

Students from the "It's All in the Song" performer and songwriter workshop in front of Santa Monica High School at the close of the August program.

One of the best ways to introduce music students to the Berklee teaching methodology is to bring the classroom to them. This was the concept envisioned by Gary Burton and Larry Monroe in the Berklee on the Road education series, which is offered in various locations. Early on, the programs were based primarily on teaching the craft of performance. In recent years, though, Berklee has adapted these programs to suit a broader range of musical interests, including songwriting and stage performance, improvisation and music production.

Professor Ken Cervenka (left) gives students in the 2013 Berklee in Puerto Rico program a musical workout.

In August, we produced two new programs in Los Angeles with the help of Chief of Staff Carl Beatty, director of the Berklee Center LA Peter Gordon, and alumni Tina Morris ’97 at the Village Studios and Tom Whaley ’87 at Santa Monica High School. The first of the “It’s All in the Song” programs focused on the craft of songwriting, stage performance and production. The second was for songwriters and producers. Both featured stellar faculty members, including Berklee professors Nancy Morris and Michael Farquharson, Berklee Online instructor Mark Cross, Makeba Riddick ’99 and Dawaun Parker ’05 (both are songwriters and producers), and Professor Livingston Taylor.

From left: Songwriter and producer Tom Griesgraber '96, Director of International Programs Jason Camelio, producer Dawaun Parker '05, Makeba Riddick-Woods '99, Professor Michael Farquharson and Berklee Online faculty Mark Cross in Studio A at the Village Studios in Los Angeles. The team taught at the "It's All in the Song" programs in August.

In 2014 we will build the Berklee on the Road brand with new programs in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and return for a second year to São Paulo, Brazil. For information about these programs, visit www.berklee.edu/berkleeontheroad.

This article appeared in our alumni magazine, Berklee Today Fall 2013. Learn more about Berklee Today.
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