April and May are chock full once again with an eclectic calendar of concerts on campus.

By Rob Hochschild
(April 18, 2000)

By the time the concert season ends on May 11, Berklee's five concert halls will have hosted shows featuring such genres as rock, classical, jazz, funk, choir, fusion, blues, Latin jazz, big band, country, r&b, folk, gospel, salsa, and even what one student describes as "kick-your-grandma-in-the-face" metal. There's also some techno, steel pan, world, and soul music, among others, on the agenda. Depending on the whim of each particular student or faculty concert producer, these concerts may conform to one style or bounce from style to style. All concerts are open to the public, and most of them are free.

One of the highlights of the Berklee spring concert season will arrive on Monday, April 24, when the Reverence Gospel Ensemble performs in the Berklee Performance Center. Directed by faculty member Dennis Montgomery III, the 50-member choir will perform a set of uplifting music, including two compositions written by senior David Balfour. "They've worked hard all year, and they are sounding lovely," says Montgomery about the choir. Some of Berklee's most talented graduates, including Paula Cole and Susan Tedeschi, were members of the choir when they were students. The nine-member Overjoyed gospel ensemble will open the concert.

Students will pay tribute to two of the most influential figures in contemporary music—James Brown and Jimi Hendrix—on Friday, April 28, in the David Friend Recital Hall. The concert will be directed by faculty member and percussionist Kenwood Dennard, whose has played with a long list of music greats, including Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, and Pat Martino.

The challenging music of jazz guitarist and Berklee alumnus John Scofield will be featured in a student performance in the Friend Recital Hall on May 1, directed by Guitar Department Assistant Chair Rick Peckham.

On May 3, faculty vocalist Robin Ginenthal will direct a student concert of contemporary chamber music in the Friend Recital Hall. Students will perform a series of duets, featuring compositions by Ravel, Stravinsky, Britten, and others. Instrumentation will include voice and piano, trombone and guitar, two pianos, alto sax and guitar, and two pianos.

The Berklee Performance Center is always packed when the annual spring Singers Showcase takes place. On May 4, eight of Berklee's top student vocalists will perform the music of Prince, Chaka Khan, the Beatles, Sarah McLachlan, Aerosmith, and Leonard Bernstein, among others.

Please read over the complete concert calendar for more details on these and other concerts.

All concerts are free, except for those in the Berklee Performance Center, which are only $4.