Behind the Scenes: Summer in the City Commercials

Student musicians and engineers collaborated on a series of commercials promoting the summer concert series.
July 15, 2011

Berklee Summer in the City, culminating with the BeanTown Jazz Festival in September, features free outdoor student performances all around Boston, all season long. But this year the performances aren't the only way that Berklee students are involved. Students have produced all the music and voiceovers for commercial spots to be aired on various television stations throughout the coming months.

The Summer in the City commercial features the lively bluegrass/country track "Best Buy" written by recent graduate Sierra Hull and featured on her newest release, Daybreak. Professional music major Lauren Sageer's dynamic voiceover complements Hull's feel-good arrangement.

The BeanTown Jazz Festival commercial includes an animated funk/jazz horn arrangement written by film scoring and jazz composition student Ben Roberts. Tracked and recorded in the college's Studio A by engineer Pranav Brandi, the track features students Hannah Ureste and Jonah Francese on trumpet; alumnus Jo Miura and students Tom Weeks and Sawa Tamezane on alto, tenor, and baritone sax; student John Egizi on trombone; contemporary writing and production major Nate Gilberg on bass; performance major David Cornejo on drum set; and Roberts both on piano and conducting. This zesty 30-second clip is also narrated by Lauren Sageer.

Director of video services Reggie Lofton, along with video production editor Danielle Navish and student editor Kimberly Zunner, compiled and edited the pictures and video clips. Berklee is proud to be represented by such wonderful student musicians, engineers, artists, and editors.