The Alumni Beat
From the left: Dan Bailey ’91, Robert Yasenka ’94, and Fernando Curiel ’04 perform at the Denver Alumni Chapter jam on May 19 at Dazzle Restaurant and Lounge. Doug Murphy Alex Lacamoire '95 is Berklee's first alumnus to receive a Tony Award. He was lauded for Best Orchestrations for the Broadway show In the Heights. From the left: John Reading ’77, Peter Gregory ’84, Denver Chapter coleader Melissa Axel ’02, James Jacoby, Harry Olsson ’04 and Denver Chapter coleader Doug Murphy ’90 enjoy the May alumni gathering. President Roger H. Brown with alumna Angela Johnson-Swan '05 who returned to campus last summer to share tales of her musical journey. She has worked as guitarist in the house band MTV's Rock the Cradle and for will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, and recorded with Macy Gray and many others. Zili Misik, an eight-member, all-woman band made up primarily of Berklee alumni and students, was one of the many alumni bands that performed for Berklee's free summer concert series.
The air is crisp, the sun is bright and there’s a fresh, new energy all around. It must be fall! The class of 2012 has begun to negotiate its way through the halls of Berklee. Remember those good old days?
As you may have read in Summer 2008 issue of Berklee today, the Giant Steps capital campaign is off and running. If you have questions about the campaign, visit www.berklee.edu/ giving/GiantSteps_flash for a video overview of Giant Steps’ goals. I think you’ll agree that Berklee’s future vision is quite bright. I’m glad that so many in the alumni community are on board. On behalf of the students, we thank you!
Many alumni created opportunities for music making this summer. On the first Monday of every month at the Cutting Room, Berklee’s New York Alumni Chapter features various alumni in a showcase. Each month the music is dedicated to a different genre. Join the New York community, and come out and enjoy the show—and if you’re interested in performing, contact Jaime Garamella at jaime@jaimegaramella.com. In Boston, many alumni artists were featured in an array of free summer concerts hosted by Berklee. Alumni in Chicago enjoyed performing on stage at the Elbo Room during the chapter’s alumni showcase in July.
In several locations this summer, Berklee hosted alumni receptions for many of our international alumni. During the last week of May, alumni were invited to gather on several occasions in Spain (in Barcelona and Madrid). On July Fourth, alumni in Germany gathered at the Institutionen Jazz & Rock Schulen in Freiburg. On July 31, alumni gathered at the Well in London, along with Berklee students who are completing their London-based summer internships.
We have received 140 grant applications for the 2008–2009 Alumni Grant Program. Announcements of the grant recipients will be published in the next issue of the magazine.
As always, there’s a great deal happening within the Berklee community. To stay up to date on Berklee news and events, read your quarterly issues of Berklee today, come out to alumni events hosted in your area, and visit the alumni website (http://alumni.berklee.edu).
That’s all for now. Take care, and enjoy the fall.
—Karen Bell, Director of Alumni Affairs
