The Signature Music Series at Berklee brings on students, faculty, alumni, and world-renowned musicians together at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) stage to perform an array of genres ranging from jazz to funk to Middle Eastern music.
On Thursday, December 12th at 8:15pm, the series wraps up its fall season with Guinga Meets Berklee. Guinga is an acclaimed Brazilian composer and guitarist known for incorporating many styles in his compositions, including choro, blues, jazz, foxtrot, classical music and baião.
Guinga will perform many of his original songs with the 30-piece Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra led by Assistant Professor Francisco Noya. Faculty guest soloists include Eugene Friesen, Greg Hopkins, John Stein, Fernando Brandão, Oscar Stagnaro, and Daniel Ian Smith. In addition, several student vocalists and percussionists will be featured in the concert.
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John Robinson, a student from Manteo, North Carolina, is a member of the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra. “As a first semester student, my experience with the orchestra has been very challenging but rewarding,” said Robinson, who also recently performed music from Final Fantasy with the orchestra at Symphony Hall. “I’m looking forward to the audience’s reaction since we’re performing with a highly admired artist.” The students haven’t communicated a lot with Guinga yet, but will have the opportunity to meet and rehearse with him prior to the show.
New arrangements will also be presented, including five written by Guinga’s own arranger, Paulo Aragão; six by Berklee students; and one by Matthew Nicholl, chair of Contemporary Writing and Production and musical director for the concert.
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“Guinga is one of the most important Brazilian composers currently working,” said Nicholl. “Musical communities all over the world know and respect his work and Brazilian artists strive for the opportunity to record his songs. His influence, while not always direct, has been and remains immense.”
So what are you waiting for? Grab your tickets for this exciting concert uniting students, faculty, alumni, and critically acclaimed musician, Guinga. See you at the BPC!
