S TA G E S BOSTON CONSERVATORY AT BERKLEE
AMANDA YESNOWITZ (M.M. '96) WINS KLEBAN PRIZE Theater alumna makes a career pivot out of an “aha” moment at the Conservatory
PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS
Career preparedness leads to unexpected pivots
Q&A
Ryan Pereira (M.M. ‘19, clarinet) on 3D printing clarinet parts and starting his own company
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SUMMER 2018
Dear Friends, Welcome to the summer edition of STAGES! As our graduates look ahead to bright futures, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on how the performing arts have evolved in recent years. The advent of new technologies in combination with the proliferation of social media platforms has profoundly changed how we create, share, and experience art. These changes are making new, previously unimagined career paths available to artists. They inspire a new kind of performing arts education that includes developing skills in entrepreneurship and business. In recent years, our alumni have drawn not only on their performance training, but also on their entrepreneurial instincts and creative problem-solving skills to establish educational organizations, launch companies, and self-produce cutting-edge new work. The Conservatory will lead the charge in the development of this new model of dance, theater, and music education by amplifying and expanding our offerings in entrepreneurship, business, and career skills, with the goal of ensuring that every student has the freedom to determine their own unique pathway upon graduation. As you will read in this issue of STAGES, we are enhancing entrepreneurial training in both our academic and experiential courses, as well as providing students with more career resources and support through Berklee’s newly revamped Career Center. Furthermore, we are exploring ways for our students to “blaze their own trail,” which is arguably the essence of entrepreneurism, by customizing their Conservatory experience in any number of ways: taking classes offered by Berklee College of Music, going on school-sponsored trips to Powerstation (Berklee’s new recording studio in New York City), participating in touring ensembles that perform throughout the United States, or having an abroad experience at a sister school. The possibilities are limitless, and I am invigorated to be working with such talented students, faculty, and staff in making Boston Conservatory at Berklee the model conservatory for 21st century performing arts education. Here’s to the future! Sincerely,
Cathy Young, Executive Director Boston Conservatory at Berklee
4 SNAPSHOTS Career Jam 2018
6 Q&A
Ryan Pereria (M.M. '19, clarinet) on 3D printing clarinet parts and starting his own company
8 AMANDA YESNOWITZ (M.M. '96) WINS KLEBAN PRIZE Theater alumna makes a career pivot out of an “aha” moment at the Conservatory
12 PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS Career preparedness leads to unexpected pivots
14 ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT
Tours and festivals give students real-world experience
16 BERKLEE CAREER CENTER Creating pathways to success
18 GIVING
Composer Ben Johnston endows new music scholarship
19 GIVING DAY 2018
A major first for philanthropy at Berklee
20 IN THE LIMELIGHT
Recent happenings at the Conservatory
22 NOTEWORTHY
Recent accomplishments of Conservatory faculty and students
STAGES is published for friends, parents, and alumni of Boston Conservatory at Berklee © 2018. Editor in Chief: Andrea Di Cocco Managing Editor: Samantha Burns Contributors: Alison Arnett, Samantha Burns, Dana Grider, Andy Chau, Melissa Levine Design: Michelle Parkos Cover Photo: Dave Green Copyeditor: Susan Lindsay Photography: Eric Antoniou,Taylor Crichton, Kelly Davidson, Dave Green, Michelle Parkos, Mike Spencer, Max Wagenblass, Collin Idzikowski For changes to your address or mailing preferences, contact: ckinney2@berkleeedu
General Information: Boston Conservatory at Berklee 8 Fenway, Boston, MA 02215 617-536-6340 bostonconservatory.berklee.edu Boston Conservatory at Berklee Admissions 617-912-9153 conservatoryadmissions@berklee.edu To give a gift to the Annual Fund, visit bostonconservatory.berklee. edu/giving or use the envelope in this magazine.
Snapshots
CAREER JAM 2018 On Friday, April 6, Berklee held its second annual Career Jam for Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music students. Hosted by the Berklee Career Center, Career Jam brought more than 50 artists and industry leaders to the Boston campus to share their expertise and help students learn about ways to broaden their career possibilities. Students had the opportunity to audition for high-profile gigs and speak with industry professionals, guest artists, faculty, and successful alumni, such as Broadway producers Joe Longthorne (B.F.A. '12, musical theater) and Ben Simpson (B.F.A. '11, musical theater). Students also learned about building a personal brand from Grammywinning performing artist Pharrell Williams.
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Q&A
RYAN PEREIRA (M.M. '19, CLARINET) ON 3D PRINTING CLARINET PARTS AND STARTING HIS OWN COMPANY Pereira 3D Clarinet Innovations is a company that produces clarinet parts made entirely from 3D printing technology. Ryan Pereira, the founder of Pereira 3D, is a current clarinet student at Boston Conservatory at Berklee studying in the school’s esteemed M.M. program under the tutelage of Michael Norsworthy. In this STAGES Q&A, Pereira shares stories about his inspiration for the company and why he chose the Conservatory.
When did you launch Pereira 3D? I founded the company in 2014 and focused on extensive testing and development of different printers, settings, and materials. We began selling 3D-printed clarinet parts at the end of 2015.
What gave you the idea to 3D-print clarinet equipment? The idea came to me in the summer of 2014, while I was teaching middle school students. I had the designs in my head and thought, wouldn’t it be fantastic to be able to make parts for the instrument that are accessible to professionals as well as students? 3D printing lowers manufacturing costs quite a bit and creates a lightweight product, which has become a significant benefit of my
3D-printed instrument parts
products. At the time, 3D printing was (and still is) an up-and-coming technology, and I wanted to explore its potential. I grew up in a house of engineers so my family was especially helpful as I gathered research and learned 3D modeling. My brother, who is a mechanical engineer, was very involved in the design of my clarinet and saxophone ligatures.
What inspired you to pursue your master’s degree while building a company? I wanted to further understand my instrument, as well as study the influences of the pieces I was designing. My studio faculty member, Professor of Clarinet Michael Norsworthy, has a great mind for acoustics and has been a great teacher and mentor in helping me improve my skills as a musician and as a clarinet-part designer. Being a graduate student has only made my products better, despite having to find the balance between being a business owner and a student.
What types of players are your instruments made for? The best part about my products is how versatile they are—they truly fit a wide array of players at many
levels—and the low cost of manufacturing allows for a price point that makes the product accessible to students. In June 2016, I discovered different wood filaments for 3D printers, and came out with mahogany and blackwood versions of my products. These materials are great because they are hybrid wood and plant-based polymer blends that offer the sound quality of woods traditionally used in instrumentmaking, but without the risk of warping or cracking. This is especially useful for students in marching bands, as well as a professionals in military bands, both of whom perform outdoors and regularly expose their instruments to extreme temperatures and humidity.
How have you spread the word about this unique product? Mainly through social media and the company website. Attending trade shows, such as the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and ClarinetFest, also helps get the word out and allows musicians to try the 3D clarinet accessories for themselves. I’ve also recently signed an artist from Indianapolis, Eric Salazar, who performs and records a lot of electronic music and performs exclusively on my products.
What does the future hold for Pereira 3D? The amazing part about 3D printing is that it evolves every single year—you always hear of new materials and printer updates. A year ago, I started printing bronze metal rings for some of my barrel models. People are even printing human organs at this point, so I often wonder what the 3D printing scene will be like in 10 years. Nevertheless, I hope to expand my company to producing a fully 3D-printed clarinet that will not only have the benefits of 3D wood, but that will also be affordable for young players. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a middle school student be able to buy an affordable, high-quality wooden instrument that could hold up even if they decide to join marching band a couple of years down the road? It’s hard to tell where the technology will take me, but I’d like to have a shop that offers services, repairs, and equipment upgrades, as well as a studio so that I can continue teaching and performing.
How is a 3D-printed instrument different than a traditional one? The 3D-printed clarinet parts all feature unique designs that enhance a stock clarinet’s overall playability. The barrels have different bores, or internal dimensions, that focus the sound and improve the clarinet’s intonation. One of my barrel models is designed with a bend to slightly alter the angle of the instrument, which some players find more comfortable. The bell has a more complex internal geometry that noticeably improves the sound’s center and ability to change registers. You can especially feel the weight reduction with the bell, which takes a ton of stress off the player’s right thumb. I recently came out with a ligature model that has detachable pressure plates that lay against the reed, so the player has a choice between four different materials and designs to customize the instrument’s sound and response.
Have you considered expanding into other instruments? I am absolutely up for expanding beyond the clarinet, although I would like it to be a collaborative effort with someone who performs on the instrument and can help me through the research and development process. So far, I’ve started to branch out by sizing my ligatures to fit different types of saxophones.
Learn more about Pereira 3D Clarinet Innovations: Pereira3D.com
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Amanda Yesnowitz (M.M. '96) Wins Kleban Prize Theater alumna makes a career pivot out of an “aha� moment at the Conservatory By Alison Arnett
Hannah Eiless and Andrew Samonsky as Elise and Richard from Somewhere in Time (Portland Center Stage, 2013)
For a lucky few, the realization of what one is meant to do in life comes in one sudden moment. For Boston Conservatory alumna Amanda Yesnowitz (M.M. '96, musical theater), who recently won the prestigious Edward Kleban Prize, that “aha” moment came while studying at the Conservatory and served as the impetus for her career. The Kleban Prize, named after and endowed annually by the late composer and lyricist of A Chorus Line, is “the Holy Grail of Lyricist accolades,” Yesnowitz explains. And this year, the award is recognizing Yesnowitz’s body of work to date, including the musical Somewhere in Time. The highly coveted award comes with an unrestricted cash grant of $100,000. On a frigid Saturday in February, Yesnowitz sat down with STAGES for coffee in Midtown Manhattan before rushing off to lead a class at New York University (NYU). Yesnowitz, who is 45, smiled as she recounted her trajectory from her childhood in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, to her current career in theater and academics. Yesnowitz comes from a family of lawyers and academics, but an appreciation for the arts was instilled in her at an early age. She vividly remembers seeing her first musical, Annie, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, and—at the age of five— spontaneously doing the “Alley Cat” on an empty dance floor after recognizing the music at a family party. Though she suspects her father had aspirations for her to study law, and her mother, medicine, Yesnowitz recalls that in her house, “the artist had always been exalted.” Yesnowitz describes the beginning of her career as “meandering.” After graduating from Tufts University in 1994 with degrees in English and drama, she felt adrift, thinking she
might pursue an academic career. It was during this time that Yesnowitz enrolled in Boston Conservatory’s master’s program in musical theater— and it was during that period that something clicked.
To help fund a third degree—a daunting hurdle—Yesnowitz secured a job teaching English at NYU. She is still on the faculty 20 years later, juggling her career as a lyricist with her academic schedule.
Studying at the Conservatory, Yesnowitz found that performance was not her passion, but she grew increasingly fascinated by how
To date, Yesnowitz’s most notable production is Somewhere in Time, on which she collaborated with composer Doug Katsaros and producer Ken
“Those two years of performing,” Yesnowitz says of the Conservatory, “gifted me the platform to explore my inner wordsmith.” language and lyrics were used in theater to convey the subtlest emotions and themes. So when her program’s capstone assignment was to write and perform a one-woman show, Yesnowitz opted to put her own lyrical twist to existing music. During her performance, the audience was enthralled. Yesnowitz was so happy to hear laughter—the response she had hoped for—but she didn’t realize until later that it was her witty lyrics that won over the audience. Although she had written parodies before, it wasn’t until that moment that she knew she was meant to write for theater. “I’m immeasurably grateful for that moment of clarity,” she says. Immediately after completing her degree at the Conservatory, Yesnowitz returned to New York City, determined to do whatever it would take to become a lyricist. It wasn’t long before she learned that NYU had a graduate musical theater writing program, and was showing her work to the program’s director Sarah Schlesinger (incidentally, a Kleban winner herself.) She told her, “Amanda, there are people who write lyrics and there are lyricists. You are a lyricist.”
Davenport. The musical is taken from a 1980 movie drama that starred Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. In the stage production, a playwright goes back in time to meet an actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel. When he finds her, a romance ensues, breathing life into Yesnowitz’s powerful lyrics:
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“You promised you would stay forever “But all that’s left are souvenirs: A faintly ticking timepiece… and a million tears... You promised you would love me for a million years.” (Lyrics from A Million Years) The musical had readings in New York City, along with a workshop performance. In 2013, it was fully produced by the Portland Center Stage in Oregon. “It was one of the most fulfilling times of my life,” Yesnowitz says of seeing her work on stage. “Regional theaters are so important for artists. It’s a way for emerging talents to see their work realized professionally and tap into the pulse of other culturally rich parts of the country.” Yesnowitz’s earlier works helped her land her first big prize in 2001, a Jonathan Larson Grant. Those works included By the Numbers, a semiautobiographical musical about a girl who dreams of studying math because she believes numbers make sense but life does not, and The Hangar Theatre’s 2003 revival of Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle, for which Yesnowitz wrote the lyrics.
Another outlet for her work has been writing lyrics for standalone songs for artists to perform in concerts, such as “Another Day,” which she wrote for Lea Michele of the television series Glee, and “Gotta Start Small,” which was performed by Broadway star Stephanie J. Block as part of a December 2017 concert at Lincoln Center, scheduled to broadcast on PBS in May 2018. In the early 2000s, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra performed a piece from By the Numbers, “No Looking Back,” at a New Year’s Eve concert at Boston’s Symphony Hall.
discovered at her death. After reading the biography, Yesnowitz immediately started to write. “When you’re able to write quickly and easily, you know you have something.”
Through the years, Yesnowitz has also had many residencies at artists’ colonies, such as the Johnny Mercer Foundation at Goodspeed Musicals in Connecticut, which has given her dedicated space and time to concentrate on writing.
Davenport calls Yesnowitz “an artisan of words,” adding that, “working with her is like watching a master sculptor shape a chunk of rock into a beautiful statue.” Fellow collaborator Katsaros concurs, saying “Amanda is exactly what a composer looks for in a lyricist—witty, clever, perfect in craft, and gifted with highly musical sensibilities. Setting her lyrics is simple,” he explains, “because they already sing, and when music comes first, she innately knows the intention and emotion of the music and gives new life to a character, sometimes delicately, sometimes ferociously.” He adds that her “slight bend toward the humorous” makes her work even more wonderful.
Most recently, Yesnowitz and her Somewhere in Time collaborators completed another musical, this one written over the course of just a few weeks. Yesnowitz says she got the idea after reading the biography of Margaret Ann Bulkley, a female Irish doctor who lived as a man in the early 1800s in order to practice medicine and whose real identity was
Bulkley, who went by Dr. James Barry, is credited with performing the first Caesarean section in which both the mother and child survived. “After the [2016 U.S. presidential] election, it seemed like a natural musical to write,” she says, adding that, “I don’t believe in imposing a political agenda onto art but I do believe in the power of wellmade art to effect social change.”
In the coming months, the team plans to do a reading of The Peculiar History of Dr. James Barry with some basic staging to gauge audience reactions and gather feedback. Yesnowitz hopes that the musical will land a full-scale production in a regional theater and ultimately on Broadway.
The ensemble of Somewhere in Time performing “A Trip to the Grand” (Portland Center Stage, 2013)
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“Having a production on Broadway is the goal of anyone in theater,” Yesnowitz notes, but says that she also dreams of staging one in Boston. “It’s my Eden—where I found my voice,” Yesnowitz says. “I walk into South Station and feel that I can breathe.”
Dance
DAY SESSIONS: DANCE
Ages 12–14 | July 9–13; July 16–20
SUMMER DANCE INTENSIVE Ages 15–22 | July 9–27 Music
HIGH SCHOOL COMPOSITION INTENSIVE Ages 15–18 | July 9–20 Boston Conservatory at Berklee
SUMMER PROGRAMS 2018 Boston Conservatory at Berklee trains young artists for careers in the performing arts, not only during their college years, but also during their high school and middle school years. The Conservatory offers a range of summer programs where aspiring dancers, theater performers, singers, and composers can come to work with our renowned faculty and build their skills.
Learn more at: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/summer
VOCAL/CHORAL INTENSIVE Ages 15–18 | July 8–21 Theater
DAY SESSIONS: MUSICAL THEATER Ages 12–14 | July 30–August 3
MUSICAL THEATER DANCE INTENSIVE Ages 15–25 | July 23–August 10
MELANIE BECALING M.M. '15, VOCAL PEDAGOGY AND PERFORMANCE
PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS Preparedness leads to unexpected pivots There’s no doubt that conservatorystyle training has applications far beyond the stage. From teaching students personal skills, such as focus, discipline, precision, resilience, and perseverance, to instilling social values, such as communication, collaboration, creative problem-solving, empathy, advocacy, and compassion, Boston Conservatory students graduate with a tool kit that gives them an often understated professional edge. Alumni shared with STAGES how their conservatory training prepared them to pursue unexpected careers within the arts. 12 | STAGES
Since graduating, I’ve become a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) for my stage management work, and I regularly assistant direct operas. To date, I’ve been a part of more than 30 opera productions, either as a performer, assistant director, or assistant stage manager/production stage manager. My life is opera and I love it. The experiences and opportunities I had as a Conservatory student shaped where I am today, and I am forever indebted to the Conservatory faculty for fostering my interests and encouraging me to pursue my passion. Andrew Altenbach connected me to my first assistant stage managing gig; Johnathon Pape introduced me to directing; Nathan Troup helped me build my network and continues to be a mentor, even after graduation. I’ll never forget stage managing and assisting Nathan on the Conservatory’s 150th Anniversary Gala in the world-renowned Boston Symphony Hall in 2017. I take great joy in being a part of the creative process from all different sides. Most recently, I found a home in stage management, which is an art in itself, especially for opera. Musicality is important, and my background as a performer and pedagogue provides me with a unique skill set and perspective in approaching a score and working with opera artists. The high caliber art we produce at the Conservatory, and the education I received to inform that art, helped prepare me for working in a professional setting.
TIM BENNETT B.F.A. '85, MUSICAL THEATER
My career could not have been less linear or predictable. I went to the Conservatory with the desire only to perform; I had no interest in directing and honestly thought that I wouldn’t have the head to deal with the scope of details that a director would need to manage. I performed for almost 15 years and was very happy doing just that. I was playing Frank in a production of Show Boat at the Media Theatre for the Performing Arts (Pennsylvania) when the artistic director asked me if I had ever considered directing. At that point in my career, it struck me that I was interested in playing a bigger role in telling the story. I had some successes as a director that helped my directing career take off, and I never went back to performing. I always thought that I had a planned path, but it has really deviated as my needs and artistic desires have changed. Bennett was recently named artistic director of Cirque du Soleil. Read a full Q&A with Bennett about his career as a director and producer at bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/ spotlight-tim-bennett.
KELLY CORCORAN B.M. '99, VOICE
Curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to take artistic risks have led me to where I am today as an artist. I’m currently the artistic director of Intersection, a contemporary music ensemble in Nashville; I’m working on an orchestra show for National Geographic that I’ll be conducting later this year; I’m guest conducting for the Boston Conservatory Contemporary Classical Music Ensemble, contraBAND; and I’m a mom to my 7-year-old daughter. I love that my life as a freelance conductor brings new projects, partners, and perspectives to my life and art each moment. I never know what opportunity will be next, and I love the adventure. My time at Boston Conservatory, 20 years ago, set me on the path for this diverse career. It was at the Conservatory—while an undergraduate vocal performance major—that I first started studying orchestral conducting; that I composed a piece and heard it performed live; that I first stood in front of an instrumental ensemble as the conductor; that I performed the sprechstimme part in Pierrot Lunaire; that I took tap and ballet classes; and that I spent hours in the library perusing the vocal scores or hand-copying every note of Mozart’s Haffner Symphony. At the Conservatory, I felt like I could try these different things in a supportive community, without someone placing limits on what I could do or my potential. Being in a place that honored different art forms and celebrated how they each spoke to our humanity—I don’t think I could have received this training anywhere else, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.
FRANCESCA AXAM-HOCKER B.F.A. '14, DANCE
In the middle of my senior year, I decided not to pursue a career in dance and instead focus on arts administration— this decision came after working in the Boston Conservatory Box Office for most of my tenure as a student. I had fallen in love with managing events and working with patrons. I would even try to work shows I was also performing in. When first deciding to leave dance, I felt a lot of shame—I had just spent four years perfecting my craft and kept thinking, “am I going to just throw it
there was Jim Viera—one of my modern dance teachers at the Conservatory, who said to me, “No one can take away the dances you have already danced.” Those words changed my whole life; it took all of the shame I was feeling away and allowed me to follow my dreams. I now work as the Manager of Patron Services at Manhattan School of Music, where I manage all of the public events and performances, and also cultivate new audiences. I am also working on my M.B.A from Walden University
Sometimes, I think that the perception of a conservatory degree is that it is a limiting degree, but I am proof that conservatory degrees are the exact opposite of that. all away?” The faculty, staff, and my peers at the Conservatory helped me push that shame away. When I told Cathy Young, then the dean of dance, that I was going to pursue arts administration, she and the whole Dance Division were so supportive and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Andy Chau, associate director of career services, helped me with my first nondance résumé, and Kim Haack, then director of external relations, was my first professional reference. And then
and will graduate in August 2018. It is because of Boston Conservatory and the community I had there that I am now pursuing my dreams and doing what I love every day, which is to facilitate and support art.
Read more stories about the Conservatory’s many working alumni: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/news bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/press
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Academic Spotlight
TOURS AND FESTIVALS GIVE STUDENTS REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE Performance and collaboration opportunities are key to the academic fabric of Boston Conservatory at Berklee. In all academic areas, the idea of taking a performance on the road has become increasingly important to student training. The best way to prepare student performers is to provide firsthand experiences, and live tours and festivals help them develop the ability to plan, promote, and adapt to new spaces. Staying true to its spirit of innovation and leadership, the Conservatory continues to develop and support student-serving initiatives that exemplify this entrepreneurial spirit. NEW YORK CITY MUSICAL THEATER SHOWCASE For more than 20 years, graduating students of the B.F.A. and M.F.A. musical theater programs have traveled to New York City for a highly anticipated capstone event: Musical Theater Showcase. A potentially careerchanging opportunity to demonstrate their talent for casting directors and agents, students prepare songs, monologues, and group dance pieces. The concept of a senior showcase—an event that is now considered the norm for musical theater programs across the country—was pioneered by Boston Conservatory decades ago and has withstood the test of time. The success of the showcase speaks for itself: Every year, Boston Conservatory students land auditions and agent opportunities. For the last two years, the Theater Division has innovated the event with an online component in which pre-recorded performance clips from the showcase, as well as headshots, résumés, and other student materials, are available for industry professionals to view after the live showcase performance. This allows for a more streamlined, convenient way to reach a wider set of talent managers.
SENIOR DANCE SHOWING After years of successful musical theater showcases, two senior dancers championed a dance version of the event as part of their 2016 senior project. Now in its third year, the Senior Dance Showing has become a capstone academic course, and has taken place annually at Gibney Dance, a dance organization in New York City. The multiday event invites industry professionals, recent alumni,
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and those in the dance community to attend. In addition to a cumulative performance produced and presented by the students, workshops and other professional development opportunities are available throughout the event. While networking and performing are at the heart of the event, student involvement in the planning process provides essential experience that artists require to selfproduce work and cultivate audiences.
ZELTSMAN MARIMBA FESTIVAL Fourteen years ago, Professor of Percussion Nancy Zeltsman founded Zeltsman Marimba Festival (ZMF), an international summer festival that brings together world-class marimba and percussion artists and presents a series of performances, master classes, and lessons. The acclaimed annual festival is held in a different city each year. This year, Zeltsman suggested hosting ZMF On Tour—an offshoot of the full festival—at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and furthermore, proposed building a festival production course around producing the event, aligning perfectly with the school’s mission to encourage entrepreneurship and career skills. In the course, current Conservatory and Berklee College of Music students learn how to produce a music festival from start to finish. During the two-semester course, students completely organize and then cohost the four-day ZMF On Tour, which is scheduled for late May. Emphasized skills include managing a budget and festival finances, communicating with participants and sponsors, and overseeing guest faculty. In future years, Zeltsman hopes that other festivals, whether existing or new, can be adapted for the course.
ZMF On Tour student coordinators with Nacy Zeltsman (third from right)
CONTEMPORARY THEATER TOUR During the spring 2018 semester, juniors of the contemporary theater program produced an original work and took it on tour—a first-ever for the Theater Division. The students remounted their devised piece Tales from the Sandman and performed in various locations throughout Massachusetts and New York. The piece, originally staged last year in the Conservatory’s Zack Box Theater, was directed by guest artist Susan Thompson and is a playful, dynamic staging of material that students wrote based on their own dreams. The tour is part of the contemporary theater degree program’s core curriculum and is the
culmination of students’ training on how to create and disseminate new work. Tour locations were chosen based on regions with student groups studying new or devised works, and specific venues were selected based on how the work could be adapted to the physical space. For example, a performance center, a church, and a recording studio were chosen as ways for students to practice adapting their performance to take full advantage of each venue’s offerings. In each tour location, students not only performed Tales from the Sandman, but also conducted a workshop that allowed them to engage with their audiences about their creative process.
THE BLACKSTAR PROJECT Contemporary theater students
The Conservatory is excited to preview an upcoming project that will take Contemporary Classical Music Ensemble (contraBAND) musicians on tour to perform a special chamber orchestra arrangement of songs from David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. The 26-person ensemble, comprised of Boston Conservatory students and the Ambient Orchestra and conducted by Evan Ziporyn (Bang on a Can All-Stars and Gamelan Galak Tika), will perform in fall 2018 in Virginia, Vermont, California, and Texas. The Boston premiere will be presented in February 2019. This project embodies the Conservatory’s mission to amplify classical music’s cultural relevance in the 21st century and encourages students to embark on a meaningful artistic journey—not only working closely with arranger Evan Ziporyn, but also getting first-hand experience debuting the new Bowie rendition in a multi-state tour. Full Blackstar details will be available in fall 2018 on the Conservatory website: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu To learn more about performance opportunities at Boston Conservatory, visit: bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/ academics/performance-opportunities
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The Berklee Career Center’s mission is to inspire students to think broadly about their career aspirations, educate students about the far-reaching value of their skills, connect students to influencers and employers in creative industries, create personal and professional opportunities for meaningful goal planning, and motivate students to take an active, purposeful role in shaping their careers.
Berklee Career Center
CREATING PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
Over the last year, the Career Center has undergone a transformation informed by nationwide best practices in career education. The reimagined center has streamlined the programs offered by three previously separate offices, with the goal of providing a more holistic and student-centric model for career preparation. Students are encouraged to use their time at Berklee to develop skills, gain knowledge, and forge the connections that will ultimately shape their careers.
CAREER COMMUNITIES The Career Center is organized by seven communities or areas of interest: business, composition, design, education, health and wellness, performance, and production. Launched in 2017, this model enables College and Conservatory students to better align their academic interests with various career paths, and better engages students across degree programs by providing deeper expertise from both career and academic advisors. This model has already strengthened connections across the larger Berklee community.
ADVISING The Career Center guides and assists students in their career planning process through one-on-one meetings that cover topics such as: job and internship search strategies; personal goal development, self-assessment, and entrepreneurial business planning.
BERKLEE CAREER MANAGER The Berklee Career Manager is a robust online platform that enables students to search for internships, paid performance gigs, jobs, industry-related and career events, auditions, and other career-related resources. Students and alumni can also use the Career Manager to schedule appointments with career advisors to further discuss options and opportunities.
INTERNSHIPS Students are encouraged to supplement their classroom experience with hands-on experiential learning through a credit-bearing internship. Each semester, Conservatory and College students build marketable skills, establish professional relationships, and gain inside perspective crucial for keeping pace as industries change locally and globally. The Career Center’s annual Internship Expo invites employers to the Berklee campus to discuss internship opportunities and network with students. In fall 2017, prospective employers like the Wolftrap Foundation for the Arts, The Dance Complex, Kids’ Orchestra, Gibney Dance, Shelter Music Boston, and SpeakEasy Stage Company participated in the event.
INDUSTRY TRIPS All Berklee students have the opportunity to join student trips sponsored by the Career Center that place students in the center of industry hubs around the country, such as Atlanta, Nashville, Los Angeles, New York City, and Silicon Valley. These trips, led by experienced faculty and staff, give students a chance to explore diverse local cultures and tour booming centers of performing arts careers. They can network with alumni and industry professionals, learn in world-class studios, venues, and businesses, and explore diverse local and international cultures.
EVENTS, AUDITIONS, AND PROGRAMMING During the academic year, the Career Center hosts a wide variety of auditions, workshops, info sessions, and recruitment and professional development events geared towards skillbuilding, career readiness, and exploring career pathways. This year, the Career Center hosted on-campus auditions for Cirque du Soleil and Cedar Point Live Entertainment. Additionally, the Creative Artists Agency, Paradigm Talent Agency, and Warner Music Group held workshops. The Career Center’s annual signature events—Career Jam (see page 4) and the Internship Expo—were both held on the Berklee campus and open to all current students.
Students and alumni looking to learn more about the Career Center can email careercenter@berklee.edu or visit berklee.edu/careers to schedule an advising session or attend an event. bostonconservatory.berklee.edu | 17
Giving
COMPOSER BEN JOHNSTON ENDOWS NEW MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP Sze, to name a few. This prestigious honor is reserved for the top architects, artists, composers, and writers in the United States—only 250 in total—and is a reflection of Johnston’s impressive body of work, which has been recorded by various musicians since the 1960s.
Ben Johnston, one of the foremost composers of microtonal music, may have begun his career in the realm of traditional art music, but his legacy will paint a picture of music that is anything but traditional. Fairly early in his career, Johnston began working with renowned composer John Cage. A mentor, Cage encouraged Johnston to explore all realms of music and carve his own pathway as a composer. Johnston soon became interested in creating microtonal music with traditional instruments. Microtones—often thought of as “the notes between the notes”—are intervals that don’t fit within the standard Western tuning of twelve equal intervals per octave and therefore produce pitches that are less commonly heard in music and more challenging to identify. The concept of composing music in microtones has become a lifelong passion of Johnston’s and has been at the core his artistic pursuits for the majority of his career. Boston Conservatory at Berklee Professor of Violin Sharan Leventhal and her performance group, The Kepler Quartet, are so passionate about Johnston’s work that they focus entirely on perfecting, performing, and recording his repertoire. To that end, The Kepler Quartet set out to record Johnston’s complete collection of microtonal string quartets—an enormous effort that lasted more than a decade. Johnston was recently inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in February 2018, joining the ranks of Terrence McNally, George Lewis, and Sarah
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In the fall of 2017, Johnston bestowed an endowed gift to Boston Conservatory at Berklee to create the school’s first ever microtonal scholarship through the Ben Johnston Microtonal Endowed Scholarship Fund. The generous award will be given annually to a Boston Conservatory at Berklee student who demonstrates an emerging talent and interest in microtonal music and performance, ensuring future support for new and contemporary classical work at the Conservatory. “Ben Johnston and his work gets to the heart of what we’re pursuing here at the Conservatory—new, exciting repertoire that pays homage to its roots in classical music, while progressing the art form into the future,” said Boston Conservatory at Berklee Dean of Music Michael Shinn. “I’m thrilled that his gift will help a student pursue microtonal music.” The Ben Johnston Microtonal Endowed Scholarship Fund will be awarded to its first student scholar for the 2018–2019 school year and will be celebrated at the annual Scholarship Tea in fall 2018. Senior Director of Institutional Advancement Dana Grider expressed her gratitude for the new gift, saying, “Scholarship support is critical to the success of our students, and our goal is to raise enough support so that every student can attend the Conservatory without financial burden. The Ben Johnston Microtonal Endowed Scholarship is yet another step towards achieving that goal, and we are grateful for the opportunity to sustain Ben’s legacy through future generations of musicians.” If you are interested in naming a scholarship at the Conservatory or would like to learn more, contact Senior Stewardship Officer Eileen Meny at 617-912-9128 or emeny@berklee.edu.
A MAJOR FIRST FOR PHILANTHROPY AT BERKLEE
Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music students and alumni are changing the world every day through dance, music, and theater—but they can’t do it alone.
There is still time to give this year!
Visit bostonconservatory.berklee.edu/donate to make your gift.
On April 11, the entire Berklee community came together to celebrate and support the areas that matter most to them through the first combined Giving Day. With the help of alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends of the institution from all around the world, a record-setting 670 donors—more than double the original goal of 250—made gifts of all sizes during the 24-hour fundraiser, resulting in nearly a quarter million dollars in gifts. Boston Conservatory at Berklee Executive Director Cathy Young said, “Giving Days have become a fun annual tradition at campuses around the country, and I was honored to be involved in Berklee Giving Day by heading down to the phonathon room to call and thank alumni donors alongside our students. It was wonderful seeing the community rally behind our students and make the initiative a huge success.”
Berklee President Roger H. Brown and Boston Conservatory at Berklee Executive Director Cathy Young join students for the Giving Day phonathon.
The impact of the first-ever combined Giving Day went above and beyond all expectations. Berklee is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support given to current students as they prepare for rewarding careers in the performing arts.
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In the Limelight
1. Celebrated artist Gamin shared her expertise on traditional Korean woodwind instruments in a master class for Conservatory students, February 2018. 2. L to R: 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Mihail Jojatsu (G.P.D. '99, cello) and Executive Director Cathy Young at the Berklee Alumni Awards ceremony, April 5, 2018.
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3. Guest artist conductor Ken-David Masur conducted the Boston Conservatory Orchestra, featuring soloist Yushan Bai (M.M. '16, G.P.D. '18, piano), April 8, 2018.
4. Guest choreographer Joe Chvala and rehearsal director Ruka White conduct rehearsals for The Red Walls, part of the Spring Dance Concert: Limitless, April 2018. 5. Senior Dance Showing dancers after their New York City performance at Gibney Dance, March 2018.
6. L to R: Conservatory theater faculty Maureen Brennan, Rachel Bertone, alumna Lauren Kidwell (M.F.A. '14, musical theater), and Conservatory theater faculty Steven Ladd Jones after a Q&A with Kidwell on her performance as Mother Abbess in the North American tour of The Sound of Music, April 2, 2018. 7. L to R: Voice faculty members Mary Saunders and Sara Goldstein in renowned faculty member Iride Pilla’s former studio, located in 8 Fenway. A plaque was created to commemorate Pilla’s memory, April 2018.
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Noteworthy
FACULTY AND STAFF
LEADERSHIP
Susan Whitehead, Chair Jeff Shames, Chair Emeritus Michael R. Eisenson, Vice Cochair Martin J. Mannion, Vice Cochair Roger H. Brown, President David Abrams G. Leonard Baker, Jr. Michael A. Brown David Clem John Connaughton Cynthia K. Curme Michael R. Eisenson Emilio Estefan Gloria Estefan Monica Giraldo Dean F. Goodermote David Gross-Loh Joshua Gruss Dan Harple Kristine Moyer Higgins Charles Hirschhorn Steven Holtzman Bill Kaiser Joel Katz B. J. Krintzman Laura D. Kunkemueller Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Miky (Mie Kyung) Lee Demond Martin Marc Mayer Jane L. Mendillo Frederick T. Miller Peter Muller Megan O'Block Anthony Pangaro Alexander Rigopulos Darius Sidebotham David Scott Sloan Susan Solomont Marillyn Zacharis Barry Zubrow
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LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Teresa Koster, Chair Laura D. Kunkemueller, Board Liaison Elizabeth S. Boveroux Gregory E. Bulger Davi-Ellen Chabner Caroline McMillan Collings Diana Dohrmann '71 Kate Sides Flather Mimi Hewlett Kelly C. McKernan Lyle J. Micheli Pamela A. Murray Megan O'Block Christopher D. Perry Santosh Perumbadi Wanda Reindorf Geraldine R. Ricci Jan Steenbrugge '99 Peter J. Wender Edward G. Wertheim Tania Zouikin
Anne C. Tolkoff Rosamond Vaule Jason S. Weissman Amy K. Wertheim George C. White
Jonathan Bailey Holland (chair of composition, contemporary music, and core studies) was featured in the January 2018 issue of Harvard Magazine for his compositions Synchrony and Dream Elegy, based on his meditations on police brutality against African Americans. Holland was also featured in The Boston Globe’s 2018 Most Stylish Bostonians.
TRUSTEES EMERITI/AE* Caroline McMillan Collings Franklin Warren Hobbs, III Alfred D. Houston Gary R. Mikula Robert P. Moncreiff, Esq. Glendora M. Putnam, Esq William A. Seymour, President Emeritus Donald R. Sohn, Ph.D.
Rachel Bertone (theater) directed and choreographed Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of In the Heights, featuring seven current Conservatory students and four alumni, with musical direction by Conservatory accompanist Dan Rodriguez, November 2017.
*Legacy Conservatory Trustees
BOSTON CONSERVATORY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Cathy Young
Joseph Foley (trumpet) performed with members of the Boston Pops at Boston Logan International Airport to spread holiday cheer, December 2018.
BOARD OF OVERSEERS Ivy C. Scricco, Chair Anne N. Cuervo, Vice Chair Brendan Murphy, Vice Chair Howard H. Bengele, Ph.D. Joan M. Broderick Frederic D. Carter, III Doreen Donovan Corkin Miles A. Fish, III '63 Jill A. Fopiano, C.F.A. John S. Foster Remmi Franklin Jennifer A. Fraser Christina P. Glen Ricardo Lewitus, M.D. Greg Mailloux Michele Manganaro Sean M. Murphy '94 '96 Barbara G. Papesch Snow Qin Suzanne H. Rollert Warren A. Seamans
Joesph Foley
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND BOSTON CONSERVATORY
Michael Lewin (piano) performed at the RoundGlass Music Awards and took home an award for Best Classical Music Recording for his
CURRENT STUDENTS DANCE
recording of Claude Debussy’s Jardins sous la pluie, January 2018.
Da’Rius Malone (B.F.A. '18, contemporary dance) recently toured Europe with John Leher and dancers. The tour, titled Shadows in Motion, had 27 performances in three countries, March through April, 2018.
Sara Stackhouse (chair of theater) has been developing a crosscultural artistic project with women from Boston and Cape Town, South Africa called the Mama Project, which now includes faculty and students from Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Hagar Adam (B.M. '20, voice) and Felix Aguilar-Tomlinson (B.M. '20, voice) performed in the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra performance of Tomorrow’s Stars Today, March 24, 2018. Adam is a student of Kathryn Wright and AguilarTomlinson is a student of Victor Jannett.
Contemporary theater sophomores won three national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF Region 1) for their devised work, Displaced: A Response to Qurban, directed by guest artist Mauricio Salgado and produced by faculty member Theresa Lang: Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award; Outstanding Sound Design and Composition; and Distinguished Production of a Devised or Company Generated Work.
Kendyl Yokoyama
Kendyl Yokoyama (B.F.A. '21, musical theater) performed “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman with actress Keala Settle at the Oscars Awards Ceremony, March 2018.
Felix Aguilar-Tomlinson
THEATER
George Case (conducting) guest conducted a performance of composer Kile Smith’s Canticle with The Boston Cecelia. The performance included current Conservatory students Victoria Peacock (M.M. '19, choral conducting), Madeline Bawden (B.M. '18, voice), and Laura Pernas (B.M. '20, voice). In addition to the performance, Smith also provided current composition students with professional advice leading up to the concert, March 9–11, 2018.
George Case
MUSIC
Roselyn Hobbs (M.M. '18, contemporary classical music) volunteers as a music and environmental conservation teacher in Moshi, Tanzania, and is the author and illustrator of the Mpingo Coloring Book, which centers around the Mpingo tree, the national tree of Tanzania, from which many instruments are made. Julia Kornick (B.M. '19, voice) participated in a Berklee sponsored trip to Silicon Valley, where she was able to visit major technology companies and explore how virtual reality and other innovations apply to classical music, February 2018. Kornick is a student of Sara Goldstein. Rebecca Miller (B.M. '18, viola) began work at Shelter Music Boston, a local nonprofit that brings live chamber music to area homeless shelters. Miller is a student of Rictor Noren. bostonconservatory.berklee.edu | 23
ALUMNI 1960S Rene Rancourt (M.M. '69, voice) announced that he will retire at the end of the NHL’s 2017–2018 season, concluding a legendary career as the national anthem singer for the Boston Bruins. 1980S Roy Lawler (B.M. '81, brass) makes custom trumpets and trombones by hand and is one of the few remaining custom brass instrument makers in the country. Daniel Doura (B.M. '82, composition, piano) had his piece “Summer Dreams” performed by Boston Civic Symphony at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, conducted by Berklee College of Music faculty member Francisco Noya. Boston Conservatory alumna Gabriella Reyes de Ramirez (B.M. '16, voice) performed arias from La Bohème Act I in the same program, March 24, 2018.
1990S Sandra Piques Eddy (B.M. '94, music education, voice) sang the title role of Dido in Florentine Opera Company’s staging of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, January 2018. Kostis Protopapas (M.M. '95, piano) was named general director of Opera Santa Barbara, in addition to his role as artistic director, December 2018. 2000S Mariesther Alvarez (M.M. '09, G.P.D. '11, violin), Marielisa Alvarez (M.M. '09, G.P.D. '11, violin), and Taide Prieto (G.P.D. '12. P.S.C. '13, strings)—founders of the Boston String Academy—are teachers of students who were chosen to perform with Gustavo Dudamel in Mexico City as part of the El Sistema tradition, March 2018. Jonelle Margallo (B.F.A. '03, musical theater) made her debut on Broadway in Miss Saigon U.S., December 2017.
Daniel Doura
Quinton Morris (M.M. '04, violin), associate professor of violin at Seattle University, is founder and director of Key to Change Studio, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching young musicians in Seattle’s South King County, 2017.
Kermit Poling (B.M. '82, violin), composer, conductor, and violinist, received glowing reviews for his album Music of Kermit Poling featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, February 2018.
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Ewa Nowicki (B.M. '03, voice) assumed the role of registrar at Amherst College, January 2018. 2010S Sam Bagala (B.M. '14, piano) plays keyboard, conducts, and is a rehearsal stand in for the American tour of Hamilton: An American Musical. Vanessa Becerra (M.M. '14, opera) performed the title role in the American premiere of Cinderella, an opera composed by 12-year-old music prodigy Alma Deutscher, spring 2018. Jillian Butler (B.F.A. '15, musical theater) took on the role of older Cosette in the North American touring production of Les Misérables, October 2018. John Cardoza (B.F.A. '16, theater) and Ebony Williams (B.F.A. ‘05, dance) are a part of the ensemble for American Repertory Theater’s production of Jagged Little Pill, May–July 2018. Megan Callahan (M.M. '18, opera) received an Encouragement Award at the the Metropolitan Opera National Council—Tulsa District Auditions, January 2018. Jessica Davison (B.F.A. '11) who has been a member of the Radio City Rockettes for more than five years, was featured in Broadway World to speak about her experiences, December 2017. Liam Forde (B.F.A. '11, musical theater) made his London stage debut in the lead role of Eugene in The Other Palace’s production of Eugenius, spring 2018.
Reynaliz Herrera (M.M. '12, percussion) composed, directed, and performed in her theatrical percussion show “Ideas, Not Theories and its Bicycle Orchestra” at Illuminus Festival, November 2017. Jonathon Heyward (B.M. '14, cello) stepped in as a substitute to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic “Bernstein 100” anniversary concert, December 2018.
Charlie Mantione (B.F.A. '15) is forging a successful career path as a drag queen in New York City, and was featured in a LG USA Mobile video ad, fall 2017. Shoba Narayan (B.F.A. '12, musical theater) is performing the role of Eliza Hamilton in the national tour of Hamilton: An American Musical, 2018.
Alumni Spotlight
HOLLY WILDER (B.F.A. '15, CONTEMPORARY DANCE) Holly Wilder (B.F.A. '15, contemporary dance) is a choreographer, dance film director, performer, and dance teacher based in New York City and perhaps best known for Wilder Project, a company she cofounded with her brother, videographer Duncan Wilder. Wilder Project has quickly become an award-winning dance film company based in New York City. Their works have been presented at film festivals across the country and in live dance performances at venues such as the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and Gibney Dance Center (NYC). Wilder serves as the artistic director of Wilder Project, choreographing and often performing in sophisticated, highly-captivating, site-specific dance pieces, which her brother films to create a final product that is nothing short of spectacular. Outside of Wilder Project, Wilder has performed work by Anthony Tudor, Robert Battle, Paul Taylor, Trey McIntyre, Chet Walker, Camille Brown, and Karole Armitage, among
Shoba Narayan
Liam Forde
Elena Korableva (B.M. '11, cello) won first place at the American Protege International Competition of Romantic Music 2017 and performed in the winner’s recital at Carnegie Hall on March 17, 2018.
Andrew O’Shanick (M.M. '16, opera) starred in an off-broadway production of Dog Sees God, February 2018. Ivan Javier Valbuena Paez (M.M. '15, clarinet) was the winner of Boston Woodwind Society’s 2017 Matthew Ruggiero International Woodwind Competition for Clarinet, December 2017.
many others. She has toured Guatemala and Mexico with the JUNTOS Collective, and some of her professional credits include the national tour of Debbie Allen’s musical Brothers of the Knight, performing with the Thang Dao Dance Company, performing Grease The Musical with Royal Caribbean International, and most recently, playing the role of Cassie in A Chorus Line (Compass Rose Theater). While at Boston Conservatory, Wilder was the recipient of the Jan Veen and Julie Ince Thompson scholarships and the Alumni Award for Academic Achievement.
To view works by Wilder Project and to learn more about the company, visit wilderprojectdance.com.
bostonconservatory.berklee.edu | 25
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