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Lello Molinari, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"As a teacher I believe in producing a constant creative environment, where the students can feel free to experiment without the fear of failure. I find that the fear of failure is a common and recurring issue with musicians of all levels of proficiency. But you not only learn from your mistakes, you can use them. I often play examples of the masters, like Coltrane or Miles Davis, playing what you'd technically call 'mistakes,' to show students how quickly they can turn into a musical positive. That can be very liberating."
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"When I was young I had to learn European musical styles. So when foreign students come to Berklee, I think it is important to educate them in a true form of American music. The Bible says, 'Go ye therefore and teach all nations.' I take that in a musical sense. The whole world has become my classroom, and I like that."
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Nancy Morris, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"Music is something that's as individual as each student, and my goal is to bring that out in my students. Whether it's their songwriting skills or their singing skills, or just trying to put everything together, I try to bring out their individuality. If students sing at all, or they would like to, I encourage that. My experience has taught me that's it's very important to do as many things in the music business as possible; if you're a singer who plays, or a player who sings, you're going to have many more opportunities to find work."
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Bruce Nifong, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"Every student has this gift within them, but they may have difficulty expressing their gift. So, starting with the idea that students need help finding that mode of expression, we help them connect with teachers who really have a passion for helping the students find their inner voice."
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Jason Palmer, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"I'm really into serial composition, improvisation based on numbers. We play songs based on sudoku games, just to get students to be able to recognize a chord structure. If they see a seven, then that means it's a seven in the scale. So it kind of connects their minds. The rules are, you can play one note, let's say the nine, as many times as you want, but you can't go to any other note except for, say, the six. So then they have to figure out what kind of rhythm they can add to the notes in order to make them sound like music instead of a robot. I did a commission about four or five years ago in New York, and I wrote a suite—two hours' worth of music-based on a sudoku game. It was great! It's fun. It's another way of thinking about music."
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John Paul, Instructor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"Keeping my students interested, informed, and inspired is key. In turn, I expect students to contribute stylistically, to be organized, enthusiastic, and responsible. It is my hope that their experience with me helps to provide them with the necessary tools for a rich and spirited musical life after college. One of my favorite quotes is, 'You can’t create a career for someone without talent and you can’t stop a career for someone who has it.'"
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Marcello Pellitteri, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"What I find exciting about teaching is the challenge of having people in class with different individual cultures, personalities, backgrounds, needs, and aspirations speak the same language in an ensemble. I stress to my students the importance of developing an awareness of their relationship with the rest of the band. I also help them develop strong rhythmic articulation and interpretation, depending on the style of music they are playing. At any level, they should be able to groove just by playing a few notes in the right way and putting them in the right place. My goal is to broaden their knowledge of diverse styles and to enhance their listening skills so that they can adapt their playing and react accordingly to any kind of musical situation."
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John Pierce, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"I continually point out the way that ear training relates to other classes. I feel that those correlations are an integral part of the education at Berklee—that the classes all fit together and complement each other. Success in an ear training class will make them far more successful as harmony students, as arranging students, and as performers. In general, ear training will make them a more a literate musician. It will enable them to hear what they see, write what they hear, and play what they hear."
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Nedelka Prescod, Assistant Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"Your art and your talent are what you see life through, and are ultimately how you feel life. The most important thing is self-acceptance and ownership of that life, acknowledging the blessings along the way."
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Bruno Raberg, Professor
DEPARTMENT : Ensemble Department"The hallmark of a good bassist is knowing the foundation of both your own instrument and the music—understanding your own playing but also the role of your instrument within a group, how to interact and listen. In my teaching I make sure to cover all those aspects."
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