The ways that we listen and engage with music have changed drastically over the past 150 years. Starting with the invention of the phonograph in the late 1800s, sound systems have evolved at lightning speed to match musician and consumer demands. That brings us to the central question recently posed by Berkeley Connect in Music … Continue Reading »
DDUN DDUN DUN DUN… Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony begins with four notes that create a burst of intensity, one that never seems to end. Through the entire piece, these four notes are iterated upon, weaving each movement into the next. These notes transcend time and space, re-appearing in modern music and movie scores. Berkeley Connect … Continue Reading »
We invited students participating in Berkeley Connect in Fall 2017 to enter our Student Voice Contest and share with us a memorable experience they had in Berkeley Connect. The winning entry below was written by first-year Sean Tseng, who participated in Berkeley Connect in Music. Pictured: Sean displays the cupcakes she won for her Berkeley Connect classmates. … Continue Reading »
Entering a classroom in Morrison Hall, Berkeley Connect Music students were greeted with an array of sensory pleasures: the speakers played “Footprints” by Wayne Shorter and the strong smell of garlic and Chinese takeout pervaded the room. Once the students had settled down, graduate mentor Elizabeth (Beezer) de Martelly explained the focus of the day’s … Continue Reading »
“Hate. It’s a strong word,” began Berkeley Connect Music mentor Andrew Ly. He paused to wait for the chattering to die down but he didn’t need to—the students in the classroom were already curious to see where Andrew’s provocative opening might lead. A recent Berkeley Connect in Music discussion session was all about hate—starting with … Continue Reading »
We all know a hit song when we hear one. But just what goes into making one – well, that gets a little more complicated. At a recent Berkeley Connect in Music small-group discussion, graduate mentor Jamie Apgar asked students what they thought were characteristics of a hit song. “A hit song is easy to … Continue Reading »
Does music have a political purpose? At a recent Berkeley Connect Music small-group discussion, students discussed what songs they would use in their presidential campaigns. Graduate student mentor Amadeus Regucera shared his pick: “I’m So Bored With the USA” by The Clash. His choice stood in stark contrast to many students’ more patriotic songs. One … Continue Reading »
Who are the graduate students who serve as Berkeley Connect mentors? Meet Nell Cloutier, who just completed a year as a Berkeley Connect Fellow in Music. Q: Why did you decide to go to graduate school, and why did you choose UC Berkeley? When I was an undergraduate [at Washington University in St. Louis], I didn’t … Continue Reading »
Yo-Yo Ma challenges Berkeley Connect students: “If not Berkeley, then where?” On December 12, Berkeley Connect Music students were given the chance to meet and talk to none other than Yo-Yo Ma, after his master class with two Berkeley cellists. Yo-Yo Ma, the internationally recognized cellist, has been playing since he was a child and has … Continue Reading »
Berkeley Connect Music students end the year by sharing their talents In their last small-group meeting, mentor Nell Cloutier and students shared their passions and showcased their work – a fun musical show-and-tell that ranged from piano to vocal performance and even an impromptu fitness how-to! Nell plays the harp for the students. “At first, I … Continue Reading »