Faculty Notes: Fall 2024

Berklee Boston

Associate Professor Eleanor Aversa released a children's album, Because He Was a Weasel, with associate professors Amy Bellamy, John Lockwood; assistant professors Nadia Washington, Matt Sharrock, and Dan Callaway; Instructor Craig Juricka; and several alumni. 

Associate Professor Sergio Bellotti toured Italy in August, playing for Vince Tempera, who wrote music for the film Kill Bill. Enrico Santarelli PDM ’03 played bass on the tour.  

Rhoda Bernard, managing director of the Institute for Accessible Arts Education and assistant chair of the Music Education Department, gave a keynote address at the World Alliance for Arts Education Summit in Athens, Greece, in October.

Michael Bierylo, chair emeritus of the Electronic Production and Design Department, released Life Line and Cloud Chorus on Fruit Street Records. Bierylo also served as chair for the electronic instrument design and applications track at the 2024 Audio Engineering Society’s annual convention in New York City.

Associate Professor Ben Camp did interviews on the impact of AI on music, musicians, and society for several media outlets. Camp also started an AI songwriting class both for Berklee Boston and Berklee Online, and continues to explore the benefits and concerns around AI in music and society.

Assistant Professor Orlando Cela was named by Boston Globe Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Latinos in Massachusetts because of his charitable work with the Lowell Chamber Orchestra. 

Professor Janet Chwalibog published two articles, “Alice Munro Doesn't Get to Tell This Story” and “Why I’ll Keep Teaching the Work of Artists Who’ve Done Monstrous Things,” in WBUR’s Cognoscenti. 

Associate Professor Ady Cohen’s first opera, Kind of Monster, a one-act opera for children, premiered in Tel Aviv, Israel, in April, with subsequent performances in June. The opera’s libretto was written by Shira Patchornik. A leading role was performed by Cohen’s 17-year-old daughter, Noot Cohen.

Instructor Gaby Cotter’s new album, Cantora, is a minimalist and emotive collaboration with renowned Cuban pianist Harold Charon, showcasing their emotional storytelling through minimalist vocals and piano.

Associate Professor Marko Djordjevic’s group Sveti was filmed for Voice of America's new series, Harmony New York. Djordjevic toured extensively in Europe this summer with several different musical projects.  

Associate Professor Florencia Gabriele has been presenting AI in education workshops in Latin America and the US, earning significant media coverage. 

Professor Laszlo Gardony’s trio, which includes Associate Professor John Lockwood and Yoron Israel, chair of the Percussion Department, held a sold-out concert at the Regattabar jazz club in June. The trio is featured on Christian Artmann's latest album, The Middle of Life.  

Assistant Professor Eva Gertz released Worth the Drive, her self-produced sophomore album in an eclectic singer-songwriter genre, inspired by a transformative chapter of traveling alone across the country for five months.

Matt Glaser, artistic director of the American Roots Music Program, gave a talk this fall as part of the Veena David B. Reck Lecture series of the Five College Ethnomusicology Program. 

Assistant Professor Nacho Gonzalez scored Kingdom Rush Vengeance—Pirate Kings, a new DLC from the acclaimed franchise, one of the most popular tower-defense games in the industry.

Assistant Professor Akram Haddad’s arrangement and orchestration of “Arabic Singers Medley” was performed live by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra in August at the Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston as part of the orchestra’s 2024 season, conducted by Christopher Wilkins.

Professor Darla Hanley was the keynote speaker and a featured clinician at the Association for Music in International Schools (AIMS) conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in November. Her keynote, "TEACH, Love, Inspire" included a tribute to the late Jarritt Sheel, assistant professor of music education. 

Professor Suzanne Hanser was copresident of the Future of Music and Arts in Medicine and Health, the joint congress of the International Association for Music & Medicine and the International Society for Arts and Medicine. The congress took place in September in Berlin, Germany, and was live-streamed and translated into over 50 languages.

Assistant Professor Alonzo Harris was the first person of color to arrange and perform “The Star-Bangled Banner” for the closing ceremony of the Olympics in Paris alongside his longtime artist and colleague, H.E.R. He also joined the Pitbull team as musical director, arranger, and programmer for his summer tour.

Associate Professor Patrice Jégou-Oyelese was selected by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/JUNO Awards to serve a two-year term on the Music Advisory Committee in the jazz divisions. She was also a guest lecturer via Zoom at the 2024 Simposio Internacional de Universitarias at Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico.

Professor Hey Rim Jeon played the eighth annual Solo Jazz Piano Festival at the Vermont Jazz Center as one of four headliners. She also had an interview on Brattleboro Radio and played at the WGBH Jazz Nights in Boston Public Library and at the Queens Public Library in New York City.

Associate Professor Manuel Kaufmann’s 17-piece jazz orchestra presented Opening, which included mostly new compositions and arrangements, at the Berklee Performance Center. The September 24 concert featured special guest Professor Greg Hopkins.

Assistant Professor Julie Kinscheck is releasing a contemporary jazz Christian pop album, Masterpiece, which includes the Christmas single “Our Sweetest Gift.” 

Professor Steven Kirby performed six gigs in the UK in August, including at the Brecon Jazz Festival and the Bristol Fringe. He also conducted three clinics while in the UK.

Associate Professor Lefteris Kordis released a double album full of Mediterranean-inflected jazz original compositions. The album, Aquarelles: Celebrating the Inner Child, features several international musicians.

Professor Neil Leonard, artistic director of the Interdisciplinary Arts Institute, released The Berklee Sessions with Scanner, featuring Professor David Tronzo. It played on BBC Radio and was reviewed in The Wire. His piece "Notes After Lockdown" premiered in August at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.

Assistant Professor Claire Marie Lim was involved in the launch of the Ableton Move, a new hybrid music instrument. A series of videos related to the release features Lim’s project dolltr!ck, alongside other performers, and will be released through Sweetwater's online channels.

Assistant Professor Godwin Louis, released his sophomore album, Psalms and Proverbs (Blue Room Music), a jazzy deep dive into religious traditions across the world. Louis also teaches at the BackCountry Jazz Summer Music Camp and has been active in bringing music education to Haiti and Africa.

Assistant Professor Stefano Marchese was one of the North End Music and Performing Arts Center’s 2024 Impact Honorees for his contributions to music education and his ongoing work as an educator, performer, and artistic director in the Boston community.

Associate Professor Evan Marien cowrote the song "Side Quest" on Intervals' latest album, Memory Palace, showcasing his innovative writing style and contributing to the progressive sound of the record. 

Assistant Professor Tolieth Marks leads SoulSesh, a healing safe space where artists can share their experiences and talk about how their music got them through those times. 

Mike Mason, chair of Africana Studies, along with Assistant Professor Chloe Swindler and Assistant Professor Brian Barone, presented at the inaugural Curriculum for Change Conference, cosponsored by Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School. At it, they shared information about the Berklee Africana Studies Division.

Associate Professor Rick McLaughlin appears on the new multipart podcast The Wonder of Stevie, which also features Barack and Michelle Obama, Questlove, George Clinton '12H, and Stevie Wonder himself.

Associate Professor Yoko Miwa’s trio performed a sold-out show at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston. The trio also performed a five-night run in Bern, Switzerland, at Marians Jazzroom.

Professor Daniel Moretti released his 22nd album, Celebrating the Music of Wayne Shorter, available January 28. The release coincides with Moretti’s retirement, after 28 years of teaching, from his full-time position in the Contemporary Writing and Production Department.

Assistant Professor Ciara Moser released her debut album in October 2023. It received the ASCAP Foundation’s Young Jazz Composers Award and was featured in Bass Player, Jazzwise, and Premier Guitar. In 2023, Moser toured Austria, performing at several renowned venues.

Instructor Vanessa Naghdi performed the self-curated concert Spooky Season Songs. The Halloween-themed recital was held at Somerville Music Spaces.

Professor Vadim Neselovskyi toured Germany, Netherlands, and Kenya in October with concerts and workshops, including a solo concert that was broadcast by Bavarian Radio. His latest project for piano and strings, PERSEVERANTIA, premiered in November at the Goethe-Institut in Boston. 

Assistant Professor Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s piece "Knell" premiered at the BBC Proms this summer by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Bristol Beacon concert hall. 

Professor Francisco Noya led the Boston Civic Symphony in the opening concert of its centenary season at Jordan Hall on November 10. Noya will be at the podium for all four concerts during the season, which will highlight the symphony’s history.

Professor Tiger Okoshi traveled with six former students from his original fusion ensemble to Italy to perform at the Musica Riva Festival near Lake Garda. 

Assistant Professor Jason Palmer recorded his 18th record, Live in Brooklyn (Giant Step Arts). Also, his quartet headlined the Chicago Jazz Festival in September, and he recorded for the newest BioShock video game.

Professor Apostolos Paraskevas released his second book on focal dystonia, Fix Me. It demonstrates a rehabilitation method focused on reducing tension in the hand and retraining the brain to help restore the affected hand and cure the condition.

Professor Lauren Passarelli was a consultant and interlocutor for Seth Rogovoy’s book, Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison. And her podcast, Creative Conversations, has featured Alec Brits, Aaron Espe, Michael Harmon, Mark Baxter, and many others.

Anne Peckham, chair of the Voice Department, released her third book in the Contemporary Singer series. Vocal Studies for the Contemporary Singer, with sing-along backing tracks, is published by Berklee Press and distributed by Hal Leonard. 

Associate Professor Patricia Peknik has been involved for several years in a collaboration with the Boston Municipal Court that sends Berklee jazz trios into various local courts and venues, and hosts judges as guest lecturers on campus. 

Assistant Professor Angela Elizabeth Perry’s album Imperfect was released on all digital platforms. She also launched a Christian contemporary radio show, Amazing Grace, on iHeartRadio.

Professor Alison Plante co-authored Complete Guide to Film Scoring, 3rd Edition (Berklee Press) and was selected as one of five composers in a highly competitive field to write music for a permanent exhibit at the Lowell National Historical Park for the project The Measure of Work: Sounds of Labor in Lowell.

Associate Professor Matthew Porto’s first poetry collection, Moon Grammar, was published in January. Porto has been doing readings throughout the year. 

Professor Bruno Råberg released Evolver, original music for a 10-piece band. Recorded on campus and made possible by a Faculty Recording Grant, the album features many Berklee alumni and faculty members. In October, DownBeat published Raberg’s article about Evolver in its Woodshed column.

Assistant Professor Debo Ray has been working on original material for the past couple of years. In October 2023, she began working on her debut album, with Professor Prince Charles Alexander as producer. It will be released in early 2025.  

Professor Jerome L. Rekart published the chapter "Leveraging the Economics of Belief to Provide Pre-Service Teachers with Evidence-Based Alternatives to Learning Styles" (with J. Heyman) in the book Transforming Teacher Preparation (IGI Press).

Professor Lil’ John Roberts's latest album, Elevation, a meditative project, was on the first round ballot for Grammy nominations in the New Age Ambient category this year. 

Professor Ned Rosenblatt's Advanced Vocal Jazz Ensemble will perform at the 2025 Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in January.

Assistant Professor Ray Seol launched two Berklee student K-pop idol groups during fall’s K-Pop & Beyond event, providing hands-on learning opportunities in a growing industry to support student career aspirations.

Professor Ben Sher recorded a jazz guitar duet record with his son Emmett. In it, they played two of the guitars from the Blue Guitar Collection. The music is an eclectic collection of styles that includes songs by Brahms, Egberto Gismonti, Muddy Waters, and Charlie Parker. 

Assistant Professor Yağmur Soydemir, a flutist and composer, was hired in September and is part of the Berklee Effortless Mastery Institute.

Assistant Professor Sam Spear released her debut album, First Pitch, in November. Made possible by the Faculty Recording Grant, the album features Assistant Professor Anastassiya Petrova (piano), Professor Mark Poniatowski (bass), Tyson Jackson BM '19 (drums), and Ian Buss (tenor sax). It was recorded and mixed by Professor Mark Wessel.

Associate Professor Vessela Stoyanova and Professor Jeff Perry cowrote Berklee Contemporary Music Theory (Berklee Press). The book is used in the Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive, for which Stoyanova and Perry serve as directors.

Assistant Professor Ryan Suleiman's new work, Three London Etudes, was premiered by pianist Sakurako Kanemitsu. In April, Suleiman will be featured in the concert Symbiosis, at Boston Conservatory. The project is a collaboration with the Fourth Wall Ensemble, emphasizing theatricality, nature, and process.

Assistant Professor Scott Tarulli has been writing new music for the past two years. Featuring resonator guitars, the music is similar to chamber music with strings, upright bass, and drums. Tarulli also performed at the Bitter End in New York City in November. 

Associate Professor Nicholas Urie arranged the music for the Goo Goo Dolls's concert featuring the Boston Pops. Urie also wrote arrangements for the Metropole Orkest's video games concert featuring the music of Final Fantasy VII, as well as for Sefa's new album, Requiem for Frenchcore.

Professor Mark Walker is on releases by the Omar Thomas Large Ensemble, Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra, Mike Thompson Big Band, Yulia Musayelyan Quartet, and others. Also, he performed with Triad (his trio with Associate Professor Maxim Lubarsky and Professor Oscar Stagnaro), and with his Rhythm of the Americas Quintet.

Professor Jonathan Wyner was interviewed on Korean music television I-NET TV about the state of AI tools and their impact on the music industry. He also conducted music mastering master classes in Asia and earned a Fellowship Award from the Audio Engineering Society.

Boston Conservatory

Professor Paul Daigneault is the founder and artistic director of SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston. He directed the East Coast premiere of Pru Payne, a witty and heartfelt drama about memory, identity, and connection, at the Boston Center for the Arts. The cast features Assistant Professor De'Lon Grant and Assistant Professor Marianna Bassham. 

Professor Jim Dalton presented a paper on microtonal just intonation at the Microtonal Village conference in September in New York City. It was part of a celebration of the Greenwich Village arts scene.

Professor Marti Epstein served as a chamber music coach at Harvard and as composer in residence at Longy's Divergent Studio. Her work “Liquid, Fragile” will be performed by the Da Capo Chamber Players in February. In March, her work “Celestial Navigation” will be performed by the New England Philharmonic. 

Associate Professor Helen Lewis-Michelson's article, "The Undeviating Deviant: Ryan Landry's Life and Work as Cultural Monstrosity," was published in The Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism (Vol. 38, no. 1) in fall 2023. 

Associate Professor Joel Schwindt presented on intersections of the authenticity debates from the overlapping subcultures of southern, conservative Christianity, and American country music, at the South Central and Midwest chapter meetings of the American Musicological Society.

Associate Professor Elizabeth Wong was commissioned by Dramatic Publishing Company to write a sing-along musical based on Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag, introducing songs such as "Down by the Riverside" and "Turkey in the Straw" to a new generation.

Berklee Valencia

Instructor Joshua Wheatley performed this fall with SongAh Chae Trio at the Femina Jazz Festival, in collaboration with Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid. The trio—consisting of Wheatley (drums), SongAh Chae MM ’22 (piano), and Manos Stratis BM ’20, MM ’22 (bass)—also performed at Bilbaina Jazz Club. 

Berklee NYC

Assistant Professor Dahlak Brathwaite wrote book, music, and lyrics for the musical Long Way Down, adapted from Jason Reynolds’ young adult novel of the same name. It premiered at Olney Theater Center in Maryland. In August, Brathwaite was announced as a 2024 Princess Grace Award winner.

Assistant Professor Ryan Sciaino produced the visual content for Porter Robinson's SMILE:D! World Tour. The tour runs across 20 countries and five continents from August 2024 through 2025.