Five-Week Summer Performance Program

From the rise of the popular Moog analog synthesizer in the 1960s to the digital synthesizer push of the 1980s and on into the contemporary usage of MIDI controllers and pads, electronic digital instruments have long been capable of offering artists a wide range of musical expression. Today, musicians from all over the world, playing in many contemporary styles, use electronic digital instruments to create and perform their music.

As a student at the Five-Week Summer Performance Program, you can choose an electronic digital instrument as your principal instrument and develop as an electronic musician while taking full advantage of the program’s core music curriculum and all associated music opportunities.

Watch music videos from Berklee electronic music students.

EDI Criteria

An EDI is considered a laptop computer running Ableton Live and at least one of the following, or similar, controllers:

• AKAI APC 40
• Ableton Push
• Roli Seaboard Rise
• Roli Seaboard Blocks
• Novation Launchpad or Launchpad Pro
• Arturia Beatstep Pro
• Any 25- or 49-note keyboard controller that has pads, faders, and knobs such as the Arturia Keylab Essential, Novation LaunchKey, or the AKAI MPK or similar
• Roger Linn Linnstrument

Please note that in order to declare EDI as your principal instrument, you are responsible for bringing a laptop with the required software already installed, as well as your own MIDI controller.

The Summer Sessions: Women’s Performance Program is a special intensive track for female musicians that addresses gender justice in the jazz community, and is included as part of the Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program. Led by Grammy Award–winning drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, the intensive emphasizes teaching, empowerment, mentorship, and advocacy for high school and college-level students who wish to pursue careers as professional musicians. Eight outstanding female instrumentalists will be selected by Carrington to study with her and other faculty. Participants will also have the opportunity to study with guest artists. 

Students are selected for the Summer Sessions: Women’s Performance Program through the scholarship application process and are awarded a scholarship covering full tuition, on-campus housing, and a meal plan. Learn how to apply.

Led by artistic director and veteran rocker Marty Walsh, the Rock Workshop gives students an opportunity to gain valuable insight into the world of rock music and performance while studying at Five-Week. Berklee seeks to recruit the most talented young rock instrumentalists and vocalists in the world for this workshop, which is a specialized program designed for students interested in studying and performing rock music at the highest level. Students collaborate to develop the band's musical identity, culminating in vocal-centric recordings and performances on campus.

Students are selected for the Rock Workshop through the scholarship application process and are awarded a scholarship covering full tuition, on-campus housing, and a meal plan. Learn how to apply.

Led by Grammy Award–winning drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and Rick Dimuzio, the Jazz Workshop gives students an opportunity to gain valuable insight into the world of jazz music and performance while studying at Five-Week. Berklee seeks to recruit the most talented young jazz students in the world for this workshop, which is a specialized program designed for students interested in studying and performing jazz at the highest level. Students will explore classic and modern jazz repertoire as well as students' original music, culminating with several public performances.

Students are selected for the Jazz Workshop through the scholarship application process and are awarded a scholarship covering full tuition, on-campus housing, and a meal plan. Learn how to apply.