Alumni beat

Adrian Ross ’96 Credit: Paul Foley

From the left: San Francisco alumni Stephen Vale ’80, Karen Kindig ’90, Associate Professor Jeff Baust, James Willetts ’00, and Zack Ferris ’95 outside the Jazzschool in Oakland following Baust’s July 27 clinic on Emagic’s Logic Audio software.

The months of summer have quickly passed, making way for yet another busy fall. Though the season was short-lived in New England, we were fortunate to enjoy several exciting events during the warm months. As a prelude to graduation, the Office of Alumni Affairs held a senior luncheon in the William Davis Room at the Berklee Performance Center. The first-time event was a hit and attracted nearly 70 soon-to-be alumni. Myriad questions were asked, with attendees wanting to know what to expect after Berklee. Many were curious about the various chapters and how best to utilize the Berklee alumni network. We were impressed by our newest group of alumni and wish them well in all of their endeavors.

 

Guitarist John Scofield ’72 and his band were the headlines at the July 24 Vineyard Vibes event on Martha’s Vineyard.

On May 12, Berklee hosted the fifth annual Berklee at the Blue Note concert and reception. Amazingly, the event continues to grow each year and the house was filled for both shows. An all-star student group consisting of Michael Birnbryer ’05 (guitar), Demian Cabaud ’03 (bass), Mayuko Katakura ’04 (piano), Yoshifumi Nihonmatsu ’03 (drums), Paul Vinton ’04 (guitar), and Takuji Yamada ’04 (alto saxophone) had the crowd on the edge of their seats as they delivered two energized sets. Alumni from various graduation years came out to enjoy a preconcert reception and to hear some of Berklee’s best. Kudos to the next generation of jazz lions for creating another successful Blue Note event.

The House of Blues in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was the venue for the Alumni Showcase on May 18. In keeping with tradition, the showcase featured many styles of music, from neo soul/r&b to Caribbean/Latin to folk to blues spotlighting some of the most prominent performers in the city. On the bill was An’Jela ’94, Tiana ’02, Jordan Carp ’01, Valentina Paez ’94, Sandy Prager ’84, Kevin So ’88, and the Tokyo Tramps. The club was packed, and attendees were treated to an evening of great performances. A special thank-you goes out to all the alumni who played and made the show possible.

Spectrum drummer Jordan Perlson (right) pauses with pianist Hiromi ’03 after his set opening for the John Scofield Band at Vineyard Vibes. Credit: Toni Ballard

On July 15, David Mash, VP for Information Technology at Berklee, hosted the MacWorld alumni meeting at the Westin Hotel in Times Square, New York. More than 40 alumni were on hand to hear about the latest developments in Apple products and how the various advancements would affect the music industry. The event provided a nice forum for mingling, and many took advantage of the opportunity to network and discuss various topics with Mash and Apple representative Jay McNeely.

Alumni from both New York and Boston had a fantastic time at the second Vineyard Vibes alumni outing on Martha’s Vineyard on July 24. After a week of rain and cloudy skies, the weather complied, making for a beautiful summer day. A lavish reception was held at the newly renovated Manor House in Vineyard Haven with music provided by the Ian Rapien ensemble. Guests were then shuttled over to the Vineyard’s legendary Hot Tin Roof night spot where the student group Spectrum warmed up the audience for the main act, the John Scofield Band. Sco and company brought down the house. This was by far one of the highlights of the summer, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store next year!

 

On July 27, the San Francisco Berklee Alumni Chapter and the Jazzschool in Oakland, California, held their first-ever collaboration. The event was hosted by Berklee Music Synthesis Department Assistant Professor Dr. Jeff Baust who explored Emagic’s Logic Audio software. The two-hour clinic brought together an attentive group with common interests and backgrounds for thorough instruction in one of the leading software programs. The joint effort was a huge success, and we look forward to many more collaborations in the future.

 

That’s it for now. Stay in touch!

 

—Adrian Ross ’96

Director, Alumni Affairs

     

     

    Alumni Chapter

    Presidents and

    Coordinators:

     

    New York

    Ralina Cardona ’91

    Crescendo

    (718) 585-4534

    Lisa Hearns ’96

    (917) 756-3273

    Chicago

    Doug Murphy ’90

    One World Productions

    (708) 343-1750

    Nashville

    Neil Diercks ’93

    (615) 352-2676

    Boston

    Deena Anderson ’81

    danderson1@berklee.net

    Los Angeles

    Leanne Summers ’88

    Vocal Studio

    (818) 769-7260

    San Francisco

    Karen Kindig ’90

    (415) 507-9722

    Austin

    Sarah Sharp ’95

    (512) 927-2612

    minnesota

    Mindy Hansen ’80

    (763) 540-0001

    Mary Ellen Skeesick ’80

    (952) 448-1898

    England

    Lawrence Jones ’80

    44-1273-701833

    Scandinavia

    Christian Lundholm ’96

    (454) 295-3083

    Martin Fabricus ’96

    (453) 583-1679

    ITALY

    Claudio Zanghieri ’93

    39-335-688-5891

    Greece

    Mike Achladiotis ’84

    016-926019

     

     

    Upcoming Events

    Boston:                                             

    Technology Master Class, at Berklee College of Music, October 2003

     

    All-Star Singers Showcase Berklee Performance Center, December 11, 2003

     

    New York:Year-End Holiday Social, December 2003. Further details TBA

     

     

    This article appeared in our alumni magazine, Berklee Today Fall 2003. Learn more about Berklee Today.
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