Fully immerse yourself in piano, keyboard, and Hammond organ performance. Develop your skills in improvisation, performance, chord theory ensemble playing, and synthesizer technology through this dynamic workshop. You’ll be exposed to a variety of styles, including jazz, hip-hop, rock, R&B, pop, funk, Latin, and fusion.
At the workshop, you will participate in several core classes throughout the week.
Performance workshop: Learn style-specific chord voicings, rhythmic studies, technique, and chart reading, among other topics.
Ensembles: This will be an instructor-guided forum for students to play with an ensemble.
Students will also attend additional electives throughout the week. Electives for 2021 are not yet available, but the following list of electives offered in 2019 will give you a sense of what to expect:
Contemporary Styles Workshop
Contemporary Keyboard History
Synthesizer Performance and Technology
Jazz Improvisation Master Class
Hammond Master Class
New Age Music Improvisation
What is the schedule?
Below is a sample of a typical day in the program.
Time
Event
8:00 a.m.–8:50 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00 a.m.–10:50 a.m.
Electives
11:00 a.m.–12:50 p.m.
Electives
1:00 p.m.–1:50 p.m.
Lunch
2:00 p.m.–3:50 p.m.
Performance Workshop or Ensemble
5:00 p.m.–6:50 p.m.
Dinner
7:00 p.m.–8:45 p.m.
Jam Sessions
Schedule subject to change
What are the performance opportunities?
Students have the ability to participate in open jam sessions each evening. There will be multiple jam sessions happening simultaneously, focusing on different styles.
The program will culminate on Friday with students performing the repertoire they have been rehearsing in their ensembles.
What are the requirements to attend?
All students 15 and older with six months of playing experience are welcome to attend. Basic knowledge of triads, seventh chords, and note identification in treble and bass clefs is required. The curriculum is geared toward low- and intermediate-level to advanced-level performance.
Upon arrival, participants are required to perform a placement audition. Be prepared to play a short piece of music no more than two minutes long. Your audition piece will help the audition team measure your ability in the style you wish to study for the week. You do not need to read music or have knowledge of music theory, but if you do, you will be asked to demonstrate your skills in this area.
Please note: This program has limited capacity. Submission of registration materials alone does not guarantee participation in the program. You will secure your spot by paying in full. When the program capacity has been reached, registrants who have not paid in full will be placed on a waitlist.
What do I need to bring?
All necessary musical equipment will be provided throughout the program.
If you intend to stay in the Berklee residence halls while participating in the program, please also review what to bring for your room on the housing page.
Dave Limina is the chair of the Piano Department at Berklee College of Music. He is a pianist and organist who has performed and recorded worldwide for over 16 years.
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