Schwab Capital Markets is Lead Sponsor; Nine Nightclubs Under One Roof Feature Many Musical Styles

BOSTON, September 27, 2002 — Berklee College of Music's eighth annual Encore Gala and silent auction will take place Saturday, October 19, 2002, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Harvard Club of Boston, 374 Commonwealth Avenue. The festivities include a cocktail reception, dinner, and the Gala party.

For full information about the Gala—including auction items and ticket information—see the Encore Gala section of the website.

Berklee will once again transform the venue into a humming entertainment complex with nine nightclubs, featuring musical styles such as jazz, gospel, blues, rock, and big band music, performed by over 100 of the college’s top student and faculty musicians, as well as some surprise guests.

Students performing at Encore Gala 2000 Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us.

Gala proceeds will support Berklee City Music, the college's education outreach program for talented urban teens. Berklee City Music provides scholarships to deserving Boston area high school students. Through Berklee City Music, students receive scholarships to Berklee’s five-week summer performance program, participate in after-school mentoring and a Saturday music school, and can be awarded four-year, full-tuition scholarships to attend Berklee.

The funds raised from last year's Gala reached nearly $350,000. With the help of these contributions, 50 students from Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea were funded this past year to participate in the college’s summer five-week performance program, SYSTEM 5 (Summer Youth Scholarship for Talent and Excellence in Music). This summer, eight students were awarded four-year full-tuition scholarships to Berklee.

To quote Berklee’s Assistant Vice President for Community and Governmental Affairs J. Curtis Warner, Jr., "At some institutions, community service is an afterthought, but at Berklee, it's a priority."

Laura and Mike Dreese, Berklee trustee and CEO of Newbury Comics, with Berklee Executive VP Gary Burton (center) at Encore Gala 2001. Bob Kramer Photo

Berklee once again welcomes Schwab Capital Markets as lead sponsor for the Encore Gala for the fifth year in a row. Since its founding in the early 1970s, Charles Schwab and Company has been committed to forming educational partnerships that benefit local communities. "Berklee City Music is a perfect example of this commitment," said Charlie Milligan, Managing Director, Schwab Capital Markets. "And we're extremely proud to be the lead sponsor of this year's gala."

Encore Gala 2002 will be limited to dinner guests only. The Gala reception, candlelight dinner, and party will begin at 6:00 p.m. The event is already nearly sold out, but there are still a few tickets available at $250 per person. For reservations or information, call 617-747-2660.

Berklee has long been recognized as a leader in contemporary music education. Berklee trustees, alumni, faculty and students contribute generously to the success of the event, and can be credited for the diversity and creativity of the items available for silent auction at the Gala. Many prominent musicians also donate items. This year's auction items include:

• A Baldwin Grand Piano
• A special vacation at a castle in Ireland
• Tickets to the Grammy Awards, VH1 "Divas," and TV tapings
• Yamaha GP1 Grand Piano, and other outstanding instruments
• Korg Karma, signed by Herbie Hancock
• Guitars from Hamer, ASC, Gibson, Fender, Ovation, and Martin
• Audio workstations from Roland, MOTU, Tascam, and Digidesign
• Holidays at private vacation homes in New Hampshire and Rhode Island
• Weekend packages and dining at Boston's best hotels and restaurants
• VIP tickets for Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, and New England Patriots
• Performance/reception in Berklee's David Friend Recital Hall
• Original artwork,

and more musical equipment, gift certificates, and exclusive items.

Additionally, the rooms at the Harvard Club are sponsored by generous contributions from individuals and companies. The names of these rooms, such as "Blues Review," "R&B Central," and "World Music Gallery," reflect the diversity that marks the Berklee musical experience. At the Gala, in addition to enjoying the nine rooms of music and making bids at the silent auction, patrons may also join conversations with local sports and media figures expected to attend, or challenge a professional pool shark in the billiard room.

Guests dancing into the night at Encore Gala 2001

Established in 1945, Berklee College of Music is the world's largest independent music college. Over 3,400 students and over 450 faculty members interact in an environment designed to provide the most complete learning experience possible, including all of the opportunities and challenges presented by a career in the contemporary music industry. More than a college, Berklee has become the world's singular learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

Berklee alumni include: producer/arranger Quincy Jones; rock singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge; Steely Dan leader Donald Fagen; producer and Atlantic Recording Studios VP Arif Mardin; jazz vibraphonist and Berklee Executive Vice President Gary Burton; singer/songwriter Patty Larkin; guitarist John Scofield; Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun; singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn; film composer Alan Silvestri; guitarist and Tonight Show bandleader Kevin Eubanks; singer/songwriter Paula Cole; jazz saxophonist/composer Branford Marsalis; blues singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi; and jazz singer/pianist Diana Krall.

For more information, see the Encore Gala section of the website. For additional editorial information, please call:

Toni Ballard
Office of Public Information
Berklee College of Music
617-747-2247
tballard@berklee.edu