Place: Berklee in Valencia campus

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía – Anexo Sur

Avenida Autopista del Saler, 1

Valencia

Admission: Free of charge

Primarily recognized as an award-winning jazz vibraphonist, Mike Mainieri is equally remarkable as a producer, performer, arranger, and composer, shaping the cutting edge in music.

During the ‘50s and early ‘60s, he performed with such legendary artists as Buddy Rich, Billie Holliday, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, and Wes Montgomery. At the age of 20, he won DownBeat’s International Jazz Critic’s Award.

In the late ‘70s, Mainieri founded the pioneering jazz/fusion group Steps Ahead, which included Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez, Steve Gadd, and Don Grolnick. Delving into experimental sounds while maintaining compositional integrity, Steps Ahead was and is a launching pad for young talent and new musical ideas.

Other noteworthy jazz collaborations have included recordings with Joe Henderson, Art Farmer, Dave Liebman, Al Jarreau, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Joe Lovano, Jim Hall, and Jane Monheit.

As a composer, arranger, and performer, Mainieri has contributed to more than 100 gold and platinum albums. An active participant in the rock and pop scenes, he produced and cowrote three albums with Carly Simon and recorded with Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Janis Ian, James Taylor, Dire Straits, Bonnie Raitt, and George Benson, and on Don McClean’s classic album American Pie.

Mainieri is still actively touring worldwide with his group Steps Ahead, as well as guesting in workshops and on various recording projects.

This clinic is presented by Yamaha.

In the Palau de les Artes Reina Sofía, students attending the summer programs will have the unique opportunity to learn and perform in one of the most highly regarded world-class facilities in Europe. As an added benefit, they can enjoy a few relaxing hours on a Valencian beach after class.

Singer-Songwriter and Vocalist Program

This program gives you an unparalleled opportunity to explore songwriting, vocal technique, style, and performance. It also gives you insight into song selection, musicianship, look, and presentation, all of which will help set you apart. Let us help you find your unique strengths.  July 3–5

Faculty: Nancy Morris, Darcel Wilson, Livingston Taylor, Ken Zambello

Special Guest: Paula Cole

Berklee Groove School ­

All musicians in contemporary music should have an understanding of groove, style, and the functioning of the back-line, not only to be better performers, but to be better songwriters and producers. Groove School will give you the insight into how it is done. Groove School will present sessions in lecture and master class formats. The lecture sessions will enable students to learn about various performance skills and techniques centered on groove and style, while the master classes allow you to put them into practice. July 6–9

Faculty: Michael Farquharson, Rick Peckham, George Russell Jr., Dave Weigert, Greg Badolato

Art of Improvisation

Art of Improvisation will present classes in lecture and master class formats, enabling students to learn about improvisational techniques and practice them in the master class, both in performance and composition. The workshop is for all musicians—from classical to pop, rock, jazz, and more—who are interested in learning the art of improvisation from the blues and jazz traditions. July 10–13

Faculty: Michael Farquharson, Rick Peckham, George Russell Jr., Dave Weigert, Greg Badolato

Re:Tool – Music Technology in Performance and Production

This program will provide you with the opportunity to learn about how laptops, turntables, DJs, virtual instruments, mobile apps, and devices are finding a place in the most current productions and performances, influencing how we interact as performers and users. You will gain perspective on the tradition of some of the most recent developments in music, including hip-hop, techno, turntablism, beat making, remixing, and the combination of these new forms with jazz, classical, and popular music. July 14–16

Faculty: Brian “Raydar” Ellis, Kai Turnbull, Stephen Webber, Dawaun Parker

Learn more and apply now at: http://berkleevalencia.org/academic-programs/summer-programs/

Interested in seeing more of the campus and what took place in some of the programs last summer? Check out some of our videos on YouTube.

Guillermo Cisneros comes to Berklee after years of experience in several fields, launching projects as an entrepreneur and leading marketing and advertising efforts. Throughout his career, he has always been dedicated to the world of education.

Why is Berklee in Valencia important?

Well, it is a central part of Berklee’s international strategy. We are focusing on developing an international campus that is, like the Boston campus, a leader in music education. Our focus is to develop leaders in the music industry on a global level.

We want to reach the musical traditions where the music is, which is what Berklee as an institution has been doing for a long time now, through the Berklee International Network schools, the study abroad program, and many other global initiatives. Having done all that work already, Berklee is placing even more importance on its international approach. As the college strives to make this happen, we always make students the priority, and therefore we need to get Berklee—and our students—closer to those cultures where the music resides.

Berklee in Valencia is Berklee’s first international campus, and its evolution will generate more opportunities for students, enrich the faculty, and strengthen connections with the music industry in different regions of the world.

You may be wondering, “Why Spain?” Well, simply, because it is closely connected to four main cultural areas: Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. I think the interaction with different cultural hubs is critical.

What makes the Valencia campus different from the Boston campus? 

First of all, the climate! That’s a clear difference. Valencia is also an excellent location because of the unusual architecture of the building where the campus will be situated.

The Valencia campus is very much focused on the global industry through the master’s programs and International Career Center. This center will support the master’s programs but will also create specific opportunities for all Berklee students—including those from the Boston campus—to focus on developing global careers. They’ll achieve this through our curriculum and by taking internships with music industry companies around the world.

And a big advantage for any Berklee student is that these two campuses will be interconnected, and will complement each other. The students from Boston will be able to participate in activities on the Valencia campus, and vice versa.

What sort of resources can we expect on the Valencia campus?

The facilities are extremely attractive, with classrooms, tech labs, recording studios, production suites, an auditorium, ensemble rooms, and a lot of other great features. We have very comprehensive state-of-the-art technology for the exclusive use of our students. And Valencia itself has a lot of resources, with more musicians per square meter than anywhere in Spain.

When did courses and programs really kick into high gear?

Concerning the courses, we already started last summer. We held two special programs, one for singer-songwriters and vocalists and the other for musicians interested in studying flamenco.

In January 2012, we enrolled our first group of students for full-time study. After they complete the spring semester, those students will take an internship in some other country in the world. This first group will consist of music business students from the Boston campus. Later, international studies will be available to other majors.

Also in January, we officially launched the Mediterranean Music Institute. It is an important objective of the Valencia campus to create direct links between all of the Mediterranean musical cultures. It’ll make Berklee closer to important musical traditions such as flamenco, music from the Middle East, and other styles from the region. A very select group of students interested in broadening their knowledge in these musical cultures will pursue in-depth studies to better understand what makes these traditions unique. And of course, they’ll also study and perform these regional music styles.

Then, last, but definitely not least, in September 2011, the admissions process begun for master’s programs that will begin enrolling students for the fall 2012 semester.

Who will the teachers be?

The best!—as Berklee teachers are. As I mentioned earlier, both campuses will be interconnected. All the teachers from Boston will have a chance to apply for openings in Valencia and the new teachers selected to teach positions created for the Valencia campus can apply for Boston positions in the future.

We will select teachers who are best prepared and have the sort of excellent skills needed to teach modern music in line with the Berklee approach to music education.

When did you start to get involved in the world of education?

I have been involved in the education world for more than 25 years. I started as a private teacher at school and university, and after that, I was involved in higher and executive education. I’ve taken a more managerial perspective since the year 2000, when I changed my focus from marketing to education. During this recent period, I’ve focused more on my entrepreneurial side, and I’ve done this by dedicating all of my energy and passion toward education.

Which aspects of higher education are most important to you?

I am attracted to it because it is a field that changes peoples lives. It is an immense satisfaction to see how a person’s potential grows due to a good education. This happens at Berklee all the time.

I’ve gotten to know the education world from different perspectives because I’ve done this work in large corporations, in different levels of higher education, and in several kinds of industries. And I’ve seen things from both sides of the equation. I understand the perspective from the educational side, but also from the point-of-view of people who run organizations, in terms of how they hope to develop and educate their employees.

Launching new educational projects has been a passion throughout my life. A couple of examples are the ESADE campus in Madrid, which is one of the main business schools in the world, and the Global Corporate University of the Santander Group. Having that experience on a range of international educational projects helps me maintain a global perspective on education and helps me be successful as an entrepreneur on an international level. The most important aspect is always the student. Education allows students to develop successful professional careers, and the qualities they obtain are personal and transferable. This is a unique element that Berklee provides, because it focuses on students and on helping them develop tools that help them fulfill their dreams.

And my own music background has played a role. I actually started singing and playing the guitar when I was a kid and didn’t continue with it because I didn’t have access to the educational structure and atmosphere you need to grow as a musician. It was something that few people had access to. I am extremely interested in musicians because I think that choosing to be a musician is one of the bravest decisions you can make. You need a constant tenacity to be successful, and there aren’t many that continue to study all their lives. And aside from all that, you must have a lot of talent.

Tell me about your team

We’re still a small team but it will grow nicely.

First I need to highlight Larry Monroe, vice president of academic affairs/international programs, who has been the driving force of the Valencia project since day one through his strategic point of view and knowledge of academic programs. He is an essential part of the team, not only because he is an established musician, but because of the value of his institutional perspective, having been a part of Berklee for four decades. This is essential to developing all communications and marketing strategies and corresponding messages.

Maria Martinez Iturriaga is director of Valencia enrollment and director of the International Career Center. Maria joined the Berklee in Valencia team in March 2008 as project manager, right from the beginning of the project. She’s now responsible for the Valencia campus enrollment strategy, which involves developing the admissions and marketing strategies for the Valencia programs in coordination with the Boston admissions team, and implementing the registration systems for the Valencia academic programs. As head of the International Career Center, she’s working with Academic Affairs to develop an international curriculum for Boston undergraduate students and creating an international internship program for master’s and undergrad students coming to Valencia.

Carlos Ballester started as program coordinator when the Valencia team was formed. His experience as an artist manager and concert/album promoter brings great qualities to the team. He knows how the day-to-day business works and knows perfectly how to deal with everyone involved in the process from the start to the end. He is also a working musician and is passionate about music, which is critical to his management of our performance programs.

Jorge Rostoll is our director of operations at Berklee in Valencia. Jorge is responsible for all operations and administrative activities concerning the Valencia campus, such as finances, human resources, legal services, purchasing, IT, and the establishment and maintenance of technology. He is from Valencia and hence based in Valencia, opening doors for us by knowing the city and having the right contacts to make things work smoothly. His background has been mainly focused on project management in international companies and managing resources abroad. 

You might all already know Javier Limón, who is a very well-known producer, musician, and composer. The man is a legend of Latin American culture. He’s recorded all over the world, from Bogotá to Paris and New York to the Palestinian territories. Javier is the kind of artist who incorporates a very international vibe in his approach to flamenco. He was raised in Spain and then traveled to New York at an early age to train at arts schools in the U.S. He’s won a Grammy Award and seven Latin Grammys, including Producer of the Year, in 2004. He is the artistic director of the Mediterranean Music Institute and will begin by teaching flamenco courses in Boston starting this fall. We are very fortunate to have him.

Agustina Covian is project manager of the Mediterranean Music Institute, collaborating with Javier Limón on the MMI. She also went to Berklee. She’s worked for almost 15 years as a producer and director in film, documentaries, TV, music, events, and corporate communication. She has also worked in a promotion team and produced shows for artists such as Elton John, Shakira, Madonna, the Cure, Marc Anthony, and others. She also created her own production company with a long list of clients, specializing in corporate videos, documentaries, and communications.

Sophie Maricq is communications manager for Berklee in Valencia and the office of global initiatives. Her international background and language knowledge is essential for international programs. Her previous work experience as marketing manager in several multinationals is also key to developing our communications strategy. She is a singer-songwriter and graduated from Berklee in fall 2011. It helps tremendously to have an alumni’s point of view and helps us stay on top of the latest Berklee developments. And she conducts a great interview!

Tracey Mellor started as my assistant, and thanks to her organizational and language skills she has become the main reference for students and is in charge of Student Services. 

We work very closely with a core Boston team, including Larry Simpson, the staff in admissions, communications, and other areas, and with the direct support of Roger Brown, who has inspired this project. We want to thank all of those who are working and supporting the project.

The support from the Berklee Valencia Advisory Board is also essential, especially the push and energy provided by Ann Kreis and Luis Alvarez and by the whole team of people who are helping us orient the project with their valuable experience.

Artists from the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean performed with students from around the world in the annual Middle Eastern Festival on March 12.

The Berklee Performance Center concert, titled Flamenco Today: A Journey through Andalusia, featured assistant professor and festival founder Christiane Karam, as well as Javier Limón, artistic director of Berklee in Valencia’s Mediterranean Music Institute and a multi-Grammy and Latin Grammy–winning producer and composer.

The event presented flamenco music—from its Andalusian roots to contemporary trends—and explored the connections between flamenco, Arabic, Mediterranean, and Balkan music, also reflecting the journey gypsies took from India to the Mediterranean. The program consisted of traditional and contemporary pieces, original arrangements created by the ensemble—notably Moira Lo Bianco and Juan Pérez Rodríguez—and classics by flamenco masters Paco de Lucía and Pepe de Lucía. The concert was also a tribute to the music of Enrique Morente, who is known for blending flamenco with other styles.

After a mesmerizing three-hour spectacle that took the audience for a ride through seguiriya, Andalusian sasla, Balkan suite, Mediterranean soundscape, tango flamenco, peroche, and buleria, the performers received standing ovations.

Performers included Berklee’s flamenco and Balkan vocal ensembles—both primarily women’s choruses—and the Middle Eastern Fusion Ensemble, featuring student and alumni instrumentalists. Special appearances included the internationally acclaimed flamenco singer Pepe de Lucía, flamenco dancer Nino de los Reyes, astounding flamenco singer Genara Cortés, Berklee alumna and flamenco pianist Ariadna Castellanos, and Berklee student Sissy Castrogiovanni, who had flown from the Valencia campus for the show.

Castrogiovanni is part of the first group of global studies students from Berklee’s Boston campus to spend a semester at the college’s new campus in Valencia.

In remarks he made to the audience, Javier Limón emphasized the importance of Berklee’s campus in Valencia as one of the global centers of Mediterranean music.

Apply Here

Master’s Degrees Accepting Applications for Fall 2012

• Contemporary Studio Performance
• Global Entertainment and Music Business
• Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games

If you want to be updated on Berklee in Valencia academic programs and admissions, please fill out the Request Information form.

• Singer-Songwriter and Vocalist Program – July 3–5
• Berklee Groove School – July 6–9
• Art of Improvisation: Blues and Jazz – July 10–13
• Re:Tool – Music Technology in Performance and Production – July 14–16

With the launch of summer programs in Valencia, Spain, Berklee College of Music has forged a partnership with the groundbreaking Lollapalooza Festivals in Santiago, Chile, and São Paulo, Brazil to support two scholarships for one student from Brazil and one student from Chile to attend one of the four special programs in Valencia, Spain. The Lollapalooza scholarship covers tuition, room and board for the program. Additionally, transportation checks in the amount of $2500 (U.S. dollars) will be processed once the award winners arrive in Valencia.

This partnership is an extension of one that began in 2011 at Lollapalooza, Chicago, in the U.S., continuing a unique educational collaboration established to benefit young musicians. “The essence of Lollapalooza is about artist discovery and providing opportunity for emerging bands to reach new audiences,” said Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell. “This partnership provides young musicians with a chance to polish their skills on their way to performing on the main stage.”

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• at least 15 years of age
• a citizen of Brazil or Chile
• have applied online to at least one of the 2012 Berklee in Valencia special programs

How to Apply for Scholarship
First you must complete the online application form to one of the programs by clicking on the program links above. After you submit the program application you will be sent an email with a link to apply for the scholarship. Candidates will provide video links (YouTube) showcasing their performance and/or songwriting skills and musicianship in the styles of rock, blues, funk, or heavy metal.

Scholarship Application Deadline:  April 9, 2012

The scholarship committee will review all qualified submissions and decisions will be announced via email by April 20, 2012.

Any questions regarding the Berklee College of Music – Lollapalooza Scholarship Competition may be sent to scholarships@berklee.edu.