Berklee Stage at Boston Book Festival

The Berklee Stage at Boston Book Festival features five current Berklee College of Music artists: Shan Kam, Pavle Zvekic, Srisley, Anna Kornis, Melissa Mandel, and Samposium. 

Shan Kam (11:00 a.m.–11:50 a.m.): Born and raised in an artistic family from China, Shan was exposed to art at a very young age. She learned to play the Chinese traditional instrument erhu before she started to play the piano at the age of five. Her classical training laid the solid foundation for developing her overall technique. Influenced heavily by British rock music and jazz in her teenage years, she started to draw inspirations from the giants before her, from Radiohead to Bach, and Frank Zappa to Charlie Parker. She has become the tailor of these two styles of music, weaving from her contemplations in life. She writes for motivation to spark change, to empower every individual to think.

Pavle Zvekic (12:00 p.m.–12:50 p.m.): Pavle Zvekic is a Serbian musician accomplished in several areas, including composition, piano performance, and band leadership. He has been the founder and managing director of The Youth Jazz & Rock Festival since 2018. Presently, Zvekic is pursuing a master's degree at the renowned Berklee Global Jazz Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

Srisley (1:00 p.m.–1:50 p.m.): Pianist Srisley (Yae-Seul Kim) will perform her original compositions as well as Latin-inspired music. She is also influenced by Michel Camilo and covers his songs. When she was 11, she made her KBS (Korea Broadcasting System) debut with Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu. She also completed a master’s thesis titled "A Study of the Afro-Cuban Piano Performance Method in Michel Camilo's Music." She performed in Seoul as Srisley solo, trio, and quartet.

Anna Kornis (2:00 p.m.– 2:50 p.m.): Hungarian-born artist Anna Kornis is a breath of fresh air for the pop genre. Drawing inspiration from Tate McRae, Ruel, and Sabrina Carpenter, Anna’s music maintains memorable melodies and relatable lyrics with a sound that embodies the current pop soundscape—all while introducing a personal flare. Beyond captivating hooks, the music speaks to Anna’s personal experiences, in hopes of enlightening her fanbase. The young artist is currently on scholarship at Berklee College of Music, honing her craft with a focus on songwriting. Anna's music can be found on all streaming platforms.

Melissa (3:00 p.m.– 3:50 p.m.): Melissa, a passionate performer and businesswoman, has been recently recognized for her business prowess, earning a Music Business Association Scholarship and a Spring 2023 Music Business Department Award for her expertise in leadership running the Berklee Music Business Club. As a versatile multi-genre performer studying as a dual major in music business and performance, Melissa has graced the world stage from Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, and at home in Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and Harvard as a National Anthem singer for the Ivy League Swim Championships. Heavily inspired by the music of the 70s and 80s and the likes of The Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Cyndi Lauper, Melissa aims to breathe fresh life into the music of that era through her deeply emotive vocal timbre and strong musical presence that connects her with audiences as she carries on the legacy of her musical family—professional wedding band musicians and school music educators.

Samposium (4:00 p.m.–4:50 p.m.): The Samposium includes musicians from all over the world who have bonded together in Boston to play music. The Jessica Linden is on lead vocals, Jaime Rodriguez on guitar, Yuki on bass, Isaiah Rowe on the drums, and leader Sampson on keys. They play a range of rock and alternate music—Van Halen, Billie Eilish, or anyone in between.