Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics

Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics are designed for aspiring high school and college-aged musicians seeking to advance their musical knowledge and performance skills. You must be at least 15 years old by the start of the program, and you must have been playing your instrument (including singing if you are a vocalist) for a minimum of six (6) months to attend the program.

All candidates must submit a completed online application. Decisions are made on a rolling basis, and it typically takes between seven and 10 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) for an application to be processed once it has been submitted. Please contact globalprograms@berklee.edu for questions concerning your application.

2025 Program tuition is €590.

Your participation is not confirmed until your tuition payment is received.

Once accepted to the program:

• Students must immediately proceed with the payment of the course fees to secure their place. Instructions are available at umbriajazz.com.
  • Please note that registration on the Berklee site and acceptance to the program does not guarantee a space in the program, due to space limitations. Registration will only be confirmed after payment has been received.
• After April 15, 2025, students must first check with the Umbria Jazz Clinics office to ensure that there are spaces available in their chosen course prior to submitting payment. Please do this by emailing ujclinics@gmail.com and following the guidelines provided in the acceptance communication.
• Payment of the program tuition fee of €590 can be made by bank transfer only. Please specify the name, surname, and chosen instrument of the student in the details section of the transfer.
  • Bank details:
    IBAN: IT 90 T 02008 03027 000105758213
    BIC/SWIFT: UNCRITM1J01
    ABI: 02008
    CAB: 03027
• After the payment has been made, the following items must be sent via email or by post to Umbria Jazz Clinics:
  1. A photocopy of the payment receipt.
  2. Two passport-size photos with the applicant's full name and chosen instrument written on the back or underneath each photo.
  3. The applicant’s personal details, including name, surname, date of birth, postal address, contact phone number, and email address. This information can be sent to us via email at ujclinics@gmail.com or placed in an envelope and sent to Umbria Jazz Clinic, Piazza Danti 28, 06122 Perugia, Italy.
• As soon as all information has been received, a letter of confirmation will be sent via email to each student.

Contact information: Ms. Giulia Truffarelli at ujclinics@gmail.com

The daily class schedule typically begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m., with a lunch break. Classes run daily after the program registration and orientation starting on Tuesday, July 8. There is one day off on Sunday, July 13. Final concert activities begin on Friday, July 18, and run through Sunday, July 20.

All paid students will receive more details by email prior to the program. Each student will receive an individual schedule of their classes during registration on the first morning of the program.

Program Language

All program instruction and classes will be delivered in English. Language support in Italian will not be available at the 2024 Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics program.

Performance

• Group lessons: These daily one-hour lessons will address topics normally included in traditional private lessons. As a student, you will receive instruction in instrumental technique (tone, articulation, intonation, expression, etc.), practice habits, and other related topics.
• Vocal program: This year’s vocal program will feature three elite voice teachers focusing on style, technique, theory, and performance skills. As a voice student, you will have the option to study the style of your choice. In addition, you will have the unique opportunity to perform with a variety of ensemble combinations, including the gospel choir.
• Ensembles: As a student in the program, you will have the opportunity to play in group settings with students of similar playing abilities. While the emphasis is on jazz, other styles (pop, rock, Latin, etc.) will be offered within the program. Ensembles will meet each day of the program, and you will perform in a concert during the final days of the event. All ensembles will perform onstage within the Umbria Jazz Festival circuit at the conclusion of the program.
• Theory and improvisation: As a student in this program, you will be taught music theory and how to apply it to improvisation, performance, and musicianship. This daily class will provide you with a basic understanding of chord/scale relationships in direct correlation with the improvement of your aural skills.

Activities Open to All Students

• Masterclasses: These will be lectures/demonstrations by Berklee faculty and guest artists (pending availability) from the festival on various aspects of performing, improvisation, composition, and personal experience. There will be a wide variety of topics, and at times there may be group participation. Questions and group discussion will encompass part of the class, providing you with an opportunity to explore the artists' opinions and strategies for success.
• Jam sessions: These daily after-hour jam sessions will be informal performances on the Berklee stage. They will be open to all students.
• Graduation ceremonies: The final two-and-a-half days of the program feature a series of concerts in which all students and all ensembles participate. Concerts will be held on the Berklee stage and also on an Umbria Jazz Festival stage. Families of the students are invited to attend these concerts.

Berklee is excited to bring our world-renowned team to Perugia. The team will include:

• Dave Limina, Chair, Piano Department, Program Academic Director
• Jim Kelly, Professor of Guitar
• Fernando Huergo, Professor of Bass
• Gregory George Groover Jr., Assistant Chair, Ensemble Department (Woodwinds)
• Nichelle Mungo, Associate Professor of Voice
• Patrice Williamson, Professor of Voice
• Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, Assistant Professor of Piano
• Yoron Israel, Chair of Percussion
• Dennis Montgomery, Professor of Ensemble
• Phil Grenadier, Associate Professor of Ensembles (Brass)
• Nick Grondin, Assistant Professor of Ear Training (Guitar)
• Jason Camelio, Assistant Vice President of Berklee Global, Program Director
• Bri Tagliaferro, Associate Director of Berklee Global, Program Manager

Students are required to make their own housing arrangements. For information regarding hotels and apartments at special student rates, please email ujclinics.info@umbriajazz.com. For better rate opportunities, participants are encouraged to make housing arrangements early.

Applicants are given the opportunity to indicate on their application whether they would like to be considered for a scholarship audition during the program. We will select a limited number of qualified students to participate in a live audition and interview where we will award scholarships to the Berklee College of Music undergraduate program in Boston, full-tuition scholarships to our Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive program in Boston, and two full-tuition scholarships to Berklee Online classes. All decisions for scholarships will be based on students' demonstrated performance during the live audition and interview process.

The Berklee Office of Admissions will review each student based on the performance materials they submitted as part of their application to the program and select 50 students, who will be notified via email of their 15-minute live audition and 15-minute interview appointment one week prior to the start of the program. A listing and schedule of those students selected to participate will also be posted in the program office at the beginning of the program. Berklee faculty will observe the students during their first week of the program and nominate 10 additional students who they feel are performing well in the program to be scheduled for an audition.

Auditions and interviews will take place on Tuesday, July 15; Wednesday, July 16; and Thursday, July 17 (dates to be confirmed). Scholarships will be announced at the closing ceremony of the program on Sunday, July 20.

Scholarship recipients are not automatically admitted to any of the Berklee programs and need to formally apply in order to redeem their awards. An admissions representative will be available in person the second week of the program to answer any questions and to meet with students individually to discuss the application process and admissions requirements for the various Berklee programs. All interested students can sign up in advance for individual meetings or attend a group information session. (Students selected for an audition will be scheduled for a separate interview meeting with the admissions representative outside of the additional office hours.)

More information about what to prepare for the first day of the program will be published later this spring. Accepted, paid applicants will receive further email communications with this information.

Perugia, Italy
Giulia Truffarelli
c/o Fondazione di Partecipazione Umbria Jazz
Piazza Danti, 28
06122 Perugia, Italy
telephone: +39 075 5724838
Hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (UTC)
ujclinics@gmail.com
umbriajazz.it

Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Berklee College of Music
1140 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215
Global Initiatives
telephone: +1 617-747-2700
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
globalprograms@berklee.edu