Summer Guitar Sessions 2008

	Summer Guitar Sessions • Application

What's the program?

Guitar Sessions emphasizes practical playing experience through a variety of classes, clinics, and performance activities for today's guitar player. All participants will be placed in performance ensembles with guitarists of similar training, stylistic interest, and ability.

Am I eligible?

All participants must be at least 15 years of age by August 17, 2008. Applicants are required to have two years of playing experience to participate. This program is inappropriate for bass guitarists.

Will I need to audition?

Participants are requested to perform a placement audition on Sunday, August 17. Be prepared to play a short piece of music no more than two minutes long. Your audition piece will help the audition team measure your ability in the style you wish to study for the week. If you read music, you will be asked to demonstrate your skills in this area.

Who are the instructors?

Berklee's talented and experienced guitar faculty will provide the instruction for the program and will appear in concert and clinic formats throughout the week. The Summer Guitar Sessions ensemble classes feature professional rhythm sections on staff for the program.

What should I bring?

Summer Guitar Sessions is for electric guitarists, so all participants should bring cords for connection to amplifiers and electronic guitar tuners. Acoustic guitars with pick-ups are also acceptable. We provide amplifiers for all participants to use in our ensembles for rehearsal and final performances. No amplifiers are provided for use in practice rooms, so you may elect to bring a set of practice headphones or a very small practice amplifier.

What's the schedule?

The program begins with registration and auditions on Sunday morning, August 17. Classes, lessons, labs, ensembles, and other related events will be conducted beginning Sunday afternoon, and continuing through Friday. The final concert begins on Friday at 11:00 a.m. The program will end by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 22, following a brief closing and award ceremony.

Classes during the week generally run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and clinics and concerts take place in the late afternoon and evening. Jam sessions run from 9:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.

Every participant's schedule will include a class in each of the following:

• Fretboard harmony—Music theory from the guitarist's perspective. Hands-on guitar training, including scales, modes, chord voicings, and chord inversions.
• Style—Focused specifics of the style of your choosing (blues, jam band funk/fusion, classic rock, contemporary rock, metal, or jazz). Theoretical concepts as they apply to your chosen style.
• Ensemble—You and your teacher will rehearse and play with other instrumentalists and will perform in concert with your group on the last day of the program. Friends and family will not want to miss these performances.
• Rhythm workshop—Open to all. Learn more about the intricacies of rhythmic performance at these early-morning seminars, conducted by specialists in rhythm-covering the basics to advanced topics during the course of the week.
• Visiting artists—Summer Guitar Sessions will host several visiting artists and clinicians during the week. Past programs have included John Abercrombie, Ronnie Earl, J. Geils, Greg Howe, Wayne Krantz, Peter Leitch, Vinnie Moore, John Petrucci, Vernon Reid, Duke Robillard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mike Stern, and Mark Whitfield.
• Jam sessions—Open to all. Play with professional rhythm sections on staff for the program under the direction of Summer Guitar Sessions faculty members. Diverse musical styles in various venues allow you to learn more about your favorite styles and to stretch your own musical boundaries.

Where will I eat and sleep?

Applying for residence hall housing is a separate process. A limited number of housing applications and related information will be mailed to accepted applicants beginning in April, until residence halls reach full capacity. Acceptance to the program does not guarantee a residence hall space. To optimize your chances for on-campus housing, you must apply to the program before April 1 and return the housing application immediately upon receiving it. Due to limited availability, residence hall space will fill up quickly. To be eligible to live in the residence hall, you must be 15 years of age by the start of the program. Call the Housing Office at 617 747-2292 for more information. If you are unable to secure housing in Berklee's residence halls and you are at least 16 years of age, please contact the Office of Special Programs at 617 747-2245 for information on alternative housing.

How much are the tuition and fees?

How and when can I pay my fees?

Bills for this program will be mailed 30 days prior to the start of the program. The bill will include a payment coupon and return-mail envelope for your convenience. All bills will have instructions on how to make payment using the Internet, phone, and bank-to-bank wire transfers; they will also include the due date for the payment. Tuition and housing fees are to be paid together, unless you are living at an off-campus location. Payments are due in full one week prior to the start of the program. This will expedite your registration. Payment on the date of registration is highly discouraged. If you are experiencing difficulty making your payment by the due date, please contact our offices for assistance. If your application was not received and processed in time for you to have a bill sent in the 30-day period, you can call the Office of the Bursar to check your balance. A bill will be mailed regardless of when your application is processed and it will indicate "Late Add." No additional charges are assessed for this; however, you are still responsible for making the payment within the due date guidelines.

The Office of the Bursar is available to assist you with your questions regarding charges and payment for your summer program. Please address any of these issues by emailing bursar@berklee.edu or by contacting one of our representatives at 617 747-2165 or 617 747-2610.

Are there scholarships available?

Fender Musical Instruments and Godin Guitars have generously donated funds for a limited number of partial-tuition scholarships. If you are interested in being considered for one of these scholarships, you must send in a cassette tape or CD containing three short excerpts of your best playing in the style you wish to study. You must include your scholarship submission along with your application to the program. Scholarship submissions must be received by Berklee no later than July 1, 2008. Scholarship winners will be notified by telephone between July 24 and July 28, and a complete list will be posted at berklee.edu on or soon after July 28. Tapes and CDs cannot be returned.

How do I apply?

There are two ways to register for the program:

When will I know if I've been accepted to the program?

Allow us four weeks (six for international applicants) to process your application. Once your application has been processed, we will notify you of your enrollment status by mail. Information regarding program registration will be sent to you in mid-July