Contemporary Performance (Production Concentration)

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  Classics Reborn

  Kim Sia
  2024

  The focus of my project is the adaptation of classical music into contemporary musical genres. This project is the first time I am arranging music for a band and trying out new music technologies like Ableton, after over 20 years of experience playing classical violin. I posed a considerable challenge. Classical musicians in South Korea often struggle to collaborate with popular music genres because of common biases against using classical instruments. The goal is to show different ways classical instruments can be used with alternative playing techniques. This new task made me face and conquer my deep-seated biases.

  Four different arrangements have been created, each with unique rhythms inspired by hip-hop, EDM, and swing jazz, and are now presented as classical interpretations with violin. These varied music pieces from various genres provide Korean classical musicians with new perspectives and inspiration.

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  The Modern Folklore Speller Case Studies on Contemporizing Traditional Chinese Folk Songs

  Ying Tao
  2024

  My project aims to explore the possibilities of fusing contemporary music styles with traditional Chinese folk songs. I have been trained in traditional Chinese folk songs singing for over 20 years and have developed a passion and connection with the music. In the most recent years, I noticed how the younger generation has become less interested in this genre and that a lot of the great melodies were slowly fading away in public recognition. With this realization, I would love to take on the mission of contemporizing traditional folk songs and re-introduce them to the general public.

  I have chosen six traditional folk songs from five ethnic groups in China to fuse with five contemporary music genres: contemporary jazz, neo-soul, R&B, A Capella, and Falemnco. By exploring different instrumentations, changing time signatures, rephrasing melodies, extending the original structures of traditional Chinese folk songs, and collaborating with producers with contemporary music backgrounds, I have gained valuable knowledge and lessons every step of the way, including but not limited to the arrangement, recording, production, and mixing process.

  I hope the outcome and process of this project can influence future endeavours with similar passions, shedding light on new possibilities and directions in the music industry.

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  A Musical Pepeha: Reconnecting my Māori identity with my artistic identity

  Olivia Wilding
  2024

  This project is to create a body of work containing five songs that connect my artistic voice, musicality and personal identity to my cultural heritage. These songs are written, performed and recorded by me, with the help of my colleagues, drawing inspiration from Māori music and storytelling. These songs offer a reflection on my connection with this part of my heritage, and re-introduce myself as a Māori artist. This project also serves as a personal exploration of songwriting and artist identity. Growing up in New Zealand, I had many opportunities as a child to connect with my Māori culture, but as I delved deeper into the world of western classical music I found myself unable to connect my heritage with my artistic practice. This project develops a body of work that incorporates several elements of Māori cultural, musical and storytelling traditions with my classical cello training and newly found artistic voice.

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  Weavings of Memory: Transdisciplinary Insight for Musical Creation

  Juan Pablo Arias A.
  2023

  This creative research intends to link the music with processes of construction of historical memory in Colombia. Proposing from the transdisciplinary musical composition an immersive experience which dialogues with contemporary and popular music horizontally, vindicating the political value that represents the resistance of the people through artistic manifestations often omitted by the interests of the industry. Nourishing itself from the symbolic to propitiate another channel of communication where the intrinsic conditions of humanity inside the stories coming from the war context are not eclipsed by revictimization, cultural appropriation or mainstream culture (among many others monocultures of the mind, consequence of colonial hierarchies) and thus to be able to build bridges between collective and individual memories where identification with the pain and acts of resistance of the other play a fundamental role in the path of reconciliation and construction of memory.

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  LOST GENERATION(S): Connecting Contemporary Jazz to the Cantautorato Italiano

  Cecilia Barra Caracciolo
  2023

  With the Lost Generation(s) project I am exploring my artistic identity as a composer and arranger, consequential to a work of research on some traditional music from my homeland, Italy, and investigating the perks of live recording music. With this project I am finding my personal voice as a contemporary jazz musician, by integrating the characteristics of the Cantautorato Italiano that inspires me the most. I conducted a work of analysis of four songs from four different Italian Cantautori; from each of these songs I selected which musical, lyrical and/or orchestral traits compelled me the most and used them as inspiration to compose my own song. I then arranged the songs for a jazz quintet ensemble and recorded them live in a studio with an audience. Thanks to this project I found a composition process that helped me write music that fully represents me as an artist, while gaining confidence as a composer, arranger and bandleader. I have learned how to organize a team of musicians, engineers and video makers, improved as a performer and I achieved all the goals I set for myself, by initiating my career as a singer and composer.

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  Dancing to the beat of offbeats: Cooking odd meter grooves with Latin American Rhythms

  Santiago Bertel
  2023

  Dancing to the beat of offbeat or to the beat of unconventional it’s a creative and research project where I break down, combine and conceptualize different music styles from Latin America with odd meter time signatures into a portfolio of groove writing. My ultimate goal is to push boundaries and build bridges between different music cultures around the world and provide pedagogical material to fellow musicians that want to dive into this kind of exploration. Within the scope of this project there are transcriptions, exercises, arrangements, compositions and analysis that explain my process of rhythmic. assimilation, and how I combine different musical devices, such as harmony, inspired from reference artists, into my own musical language from all my years of experience from the classical music side, through jazz and popular music. Coming out of this experience I have set a foundation for a method book, pedagogical material for myself and other educators, and even further I have started a creative outlet for more original music and arrangements that hopefully will inspire others to keep creating as my mentors inspired me.

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  Keep Swinging: It don’t mean a thing, If you ain’t got that violin

  Guangyuan Seth Chen
  2023

  Researching Stuff Smith's music in different directions has profoundly influenced my music career. These experiences have shaped my unique musical expression. As I embark on my artistic journey, my ears naturally absorb the sounds of different musicians, each of whom has left a unique imprint on my musical sensibilities. However, a crucial step was to start a personal exploration, discovering and developing a playing style that resonated with me. Stuff Smith is just one of the great artists who shaped my musical path. Most of all, I want my audience to perceive and appreciate my personality when listening to my music. I am determined to go beyond the limitations of being considered just another musician, and instead be recognized as an artist with a deep and authentic sound.

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  “Highlighting the Gray Area”: Developing the Trap Genre

  Robed Fenelus
  2023

  My culminating experience project is titled Highlighting the Grey area because for quite some time, there has been no place for trap music that isn’t about the “trap” lifestyle. For decades American society has cycled between cultures and countercultures, and at this stage of society, trap music is still seen as a genre of music that is counterculture to the typical values of Americans. Similar to essentially all other genres of music, although the genre has roots in specific topics, there is space to develop material that pushes or in many cases usurps the sonic boundaries and the expectations of listeners. Although trap music has a reputation for not being as sonically unique as 90s Rap, as well as not being intricate lyrically, my goal was to make an album that did exactly that. This work is important because there is not much academic work done on trap music in general and as an avid listener and producer that works in the genre, I believe the genre should be uplifted, and studied for the intention of integrating the “in the box” DAW capabilities that students can use to express themselves through music. Rap music has always been a reflection of the artist’s environment which ultimately led to creation of trap, but the rich sonic elements of trap make it a genre that doesn’t need the dark topics in order to relate to the listener- especially in a society where the experiences aren’t as similar for everyone as they were in the 1900s. This kind of music is what I consider the Trap “gray area” and I intend to highlight it with a cohesive storyline, layered lyrics, and sounds from around the world.

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  Nature as a Temple: A glimpse of eternity through an intimate musical confession

  Terézia Froncová
  2023

  This Culminating Experience (CE) project aimed to discover and establish my artistic identity, encompassing both the sonic and visual aspects, while conveying a meaningful message that resonates with my inner world and beliefs. Titled "Nature as a Temple," this project marked my debut in original music as a pianist and vocalist. The concept of nature served as a medium for encountering the transcendent and the creator's call within its beauty. Some songs directly express this message through lyrics and poems, while instrumental compositions evoke emotional responses through the powerful language of music. Drawing upon my classical background, I sought to merge it with contemporary influences, and the exploration of acoustic instruments combined with electronic elements played a significant role in shaping my artistic style. The collaborative efforts of talented musicians and collaborators enriched the music, resulting in the completion and recording of four tracks that will be featured on my debut album.

  The process of working on these compositions provided valuable experience in music production and post-production, shaping my future professional endeavors. I now possess a heightened awareness of my strengths, artistic preferences, and vision as a musical artist.

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  Elements: Building Vocabulary on the Lever Harp through Global Harp Traditions and Art Forms

  Rachel Groves
  2023

  The Scottish lever harp is an instrument founded in an ancient history, but a relatively recently reconstructed tradition. From its modern conception, the lever harp has been a synthesis of multiple influences, invention, and creativity. Today, harp playing in Scotland is an expanding and evolving tradition. This paper seeks to draw inspiration from and add to the work of contemporary harpists by exploring ways of developing vocabulary for the instrument.

  In the first section, the project investigates connections between different harp and harp- related traditions around the world. It looks at their history, cultural context and important players, alongside analysing excerpts of their music through transcriptions.

  In the second section, the transcriptions are synthesised through the lens of the elements of art: line, shape, form, space, texture, value and colour. It also draws on practice routines learned during the year at Berklee Valencia, from teachers, mentors and classmates. Bringing all this together, the paper sets out a creative practice framework for the lever harp. It explores ways of using this new language in context.

  The final section reflects on what has been learned through the project, and imagines future pathways: including creative projects, pedagogical methods and practice-based research.

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  Imam Collective: Exploration of creative practices through the lens of a collective

  Hasan Imam Hamdani
  2023

  My culminating experience is about the exploration of creative practices from the lens of a collective, not the individual. Music has always been a form of sharing, creating and expressing myself with and among people. This year, I explored some of the different roles I take up within the collective, and how members of the collective respond to that. I achieved this by partaking in music composition, arranging and recording of seven pieces throughout the year. Four of the pieces are original compositions that saw varying degrees of arrangement and compositional material from myself. Three of them are traditional folk pieces from North Africa and Scotland that saw the collective act as a creative process and instrument of itself, exerting creative control over the process of arranging and recording. Per reflection, I learned what processes are most effective in executing my vision and when to exert control versus let the collective take creative control. Most importantly, I learned to celebrate the coming together of individuals from multicultural backgrounds to create, share and express themselves through the shared values of trust and acknowledgement.

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  The Live Music Experience: A Study Through the Eyes of a Drummer

  Anthony Lafond
  2023

  In my efforts to be the best drummer I can be, to always be learning, to apply the skills I’ve been gaining here at Berklee Valencia, and to give myself material to further myself as an artist, I wanted to combine my experience with live music with my newer studio experience I’ve been gaining and put together live studio sessions similar to those that have greatly influenced myself and my playing. I wanted to create my own live music experience and to provide an audience the experience of being in the studio with the musicians while they’re recording music and to be able to hear what they’re hearing and be immersed in the session.

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  ”Fragments” - Recording of a debut album

  Kar Hei Kurtis Li
  2023

  The purpose of my project was to create an album consisted of original compositions that are able to reflect my musical influences, personal experiences and emotions, and to learn how to produce an album from scratch to promotion, using it to kickstart my musical career. The style of the music fused genres like jazz, Brazilian music, flamenco and classical music, and the challenge is to find suitable musicians in Valencia that can play the music in the way I imagined. The outcome of the project was 7 professionally recorded pieces, an EPK video and a future plan for the release of the album.

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  The Meaningful Skills that Develop an Artist: A journey from the classical music to the contemporary music world

  Àngela Moya Serrat
  2023

  The following research has borned from my desire of nurturing the skills needed for performing with high-quality and craftsmanship with my violin, different contemporary music styles and improvising. This paper is a compilation of all the abilities I had to train during my studies in the Master of Contemporary Performance at Berklee College of Music in order to acquire the skills needed to perform in an exemplary manner in this contemporary music industry.

  From my own experience, I determine which skills are really important for performing proficiently in contemporary music and jazz improvisation. Furthermore, I propose several exercises that I have created or have been effective to me in order to train progressively those abilities.

  Furthermore, I also write about added skills obtained from the depth and hands-on experience into the music industry world like the knowledge about production, composing, arranging and business, as well as the knowledge acquired for managing tools of this contemporary world of music like ProTools and Sibelius.

  Finally, I reflect on the conclusions about where I was and what I have developed during this research at Berklee College, being freedom the noun that summarises the union of all of these abilities.

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  The Sound of Crossroads: Exploring the Intersection of Jazz and Middle Eastern Music

  Yousef R. Musharbash
  2023

  This thesis delves into my personal journey as a musician, born in Amman, Jordan, with a profound connection to music from an early age. Growing up in a religious Christian family, I was immersed in the world of music, starting with simple hymns played on an old keyboard. As I matured, my passion for music deepened, leading me to explore the piano instrument and eventually become the main pianist for church services. This path guided me towards developing an artistic identity that combines Middle Eastern music, Western classical music, and jazz.

  After obtaining a degree in composition, I continued my musical endeavors by gaining experience as a session musician and band leader. I established a home studio where I dedicated myself to piano recording, music arranging, and composition. The culmination of my experiences culminates in a project aimed at improving the connections between Middle Eastern and Western listeners through the creation of a contemporary oriental jazz identity.

  This project encompasses extensive research and analysis of Eastern, Afro-Cuban, and Jazz music, with a focus on enhancing my instrumental technique and enriching my musical vocabulary to enhance composition and arranging skills. I plan to share my compositions through various music platforms and by participating in concerts and Jazz festivals. The methodology involves a performative research approach, combining research with performative work that focuses on Jazz to shape my unique identity and sound.

  The primary objective of this project is to build a fan base, engage audiences, diminish cultural gaps, and promote cross-cultural understanding. By making Middle Eastern music more accessible to Western ears, I aim to deepen audience enjoyment and understanding of Eastern music. Through this exploration, I aspire to create music that resonates with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, ultimately bridging the gap between the East and the West.

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  Considerations in Recorded Performance and The Underlying Acousmatics of Modern Music

  Kanghyun Park
  2023

  The purpose of my project was to take my experience and training as a formally educated composer, arranger, and music producer and experience the intricacies behind a transition into the role of a performing and recording artist during my time in formal academia. Research behind this thesis was conducted in hopes to gain insights into the required technical facilities, repertoire, and furthering my understanding of the creative process and overarching experience from the performing musician’s perspective. Additionally, I set out to understand how the intricacies of aforementioned experience between the performing artists and auxiliary parties and how said experience can affect the music as an end-product, and found that a large part of my research was affected by stylistic and technical applications of acousmatic music and sounds during the production process.

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  Unfretting the Fretted: Uniting Balkan music, maqam, and flamenco on guitar

  Mirza Redzepagic
  2023

  This thesis delves into my personal journey, a guitarist born and raised in the Balkans and explores the influences and experiences that shaped my musical path. Drawing from childhood memories of diverse musical genres, I traced development from classical guitar lessons to studying flamenco in Spain and ultimately discovering a deep connection between Balkan music and flamenco. The thesis proposes a culminating experience project aimed at composing, arranging, and recording music rooted in Balkan traditions but infused with a new approach. The objectives of the project are to create a new (sub)genre of music that showcases my artistic identity as a composer, arranger, and band leader. By incorporating microtonal elements inspired by maqam, the music language of Ottoman classical that is in the roots of Balkan music, this project seeks to fuse the vocabulary and techniques of flamenco guitar with traditional Balkan songs and melodies, thus reviving the spirit of microtonal performances. This thesis aims to create a new musical identity that showcases the richness and beauty of Balkan traditions while incorporating innovative elements and intends to inspire listeners and offer a fresh perspective on the genre, presenting a unique fusion of cultural influences and musical expressions.

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  Crafted Oscillations: An Exploration of Synthesizers and Technology Possibilities

  Felipe R. Santos
  2023

  This project aims to forge and enhance my artistic identity while utilizing synthesizers as the primary resource in both the compositional and performance processes. By limiting myself to a specific set of gear and crafting sounds from scratch using just four types of waveforms, I seek to momentarily escape the world of endless and perfect possibilities that technology has brought to the music-making process and create my own voice. Throughout my academic journey and various collaborations, I dedicated myself to composing and recording a couple of songs that form an album. The themes of the compositions are centered around the documentation and reflection of important aspects of life such as love, self-care and dealing through changes. I used three key concepts outlined in this work to create and shape the synthesizer sounds on the record, aiming to capture and convey the emotions behind each song. Additionally, my intention is to offer an alternative approach to music in the present day, providing inspiration to fellow musicians who may find value and inspiration in this work.

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  Yad-e Vattan: Memories of a Homeland

  Elana Sasson
  2023

  This project aims to bridge my several musical worlds and influences together into a body of work, informed by creative and analytical research. It includes a collection of original compositions as well as arrangements of traditional melodies, each exploring a different approach to the fusion of Persian & Kurdish music with contemporary western music and jazz. It is an exploration of “in- betweenness,” of belonging to many cultures and worlds. The concepts utilized include: use of harmony in arrangements of traditional eastern melodies, approaches to harmony in the composition of modal music, the use of intervals as a central compositional technique and approaches to building melodies from a traditional versus contemporary approach, such as using vamps, ostinatos, basslines, and counterpoint melodies in arrangements and as compositional material, use of odd-meters in traditional and contemporary music, musical textures such as monophony, heterophony, and polyphony, and the exploration of different uses of the voice as an instrument in cross-cultural settings. The ideas created in this body of work can be utilized in other forms of mixed-genre music, and the alinear creative process that guided each work can be used both as a reflection and inspiration for new works.

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  DARYAAFT: Creating A New Style with The Essence of Hindustani Classical Music, Sufi, Rock and Pop

  Akshay Satishkumar Baheti
  2023

  This abstract highlights my passion for music in genres such as Hindustani classical, Sufi, rock, and pop. They have been exposed to diverse musical influences from an early age and pursued music alongside their studies in computer engineering. The proposed culminating experience (CE) aims to create a unique style by blending Hindustani classical music and Sufi with rock and pop elements. The goal is to bridge the gap between listeners of Hindustani classical and contemporary genres while maintaining the essence of their roots. My plans are to study the genres' parameters, research audience preferences, and orchestrate songs accordingly for a successful release. The methodology involves action-based, performance-based, and musicological research to fuse different genres and develop a fresh style. I will explore Ragas and Western melodic analysis, rework previous compositions, and perform them to establish their creative approach. The timeline includes building a team, acquiring resources, and executing the project. The abstract justifies the project by emphasizing the importance of understanding the common elements between Hindustani classical and Western music for a successful fusion. My aim is to change people's perspectives on Hindustani classical and Sufi music, aiming for global appreciation. The proposed execution includes creating a new song, "Lost and Found," incorporating jazz scales, rock elements, and instruments. In summary, this abstract provides an overview of my background, objectives, methodology, and plan of action for their culminating experience project, which seeks to create a unique fusion of Hindustani classical, Sufi, rock, and pop music.

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  A Junkyard Wonder: An exploration of Storytelling and Catharsis through Music

  Ananya Sharma
  2023

  The purpose of this endeavor is to undertake a recording project; a five song LP that expresses my identity as an artist, and in doing so, allows me to develop and improve my skill set as an arranger and producer. This project will complete and bring to life songs that were already written by me over the last four years, and therefore reinforce lyrically, a common flowing narrative that explores the concept of the self, split into three parts: self- loathing, neutrality, and acceptance. In the process of creating this album, I specifically took classes through the year which enhanced my arranging, leading and production process such as Contemporary Arranging, ‘Incondicional’ Les Arts Collaborative Ensemble, Analog Synthesis and Bandleading Ensemble. Through these classes I understood how to conduct musicians, workshop my arrangements on varying instrumentation within considerations of what serves their functions well. While developing proficiency as a producer, through recording, using Pro Tools, editing, and mixing the songs, I followed closely the overall production reference of Becca Stevens’ Album ‘Wonderbloom’, which captures the sonic aesthetic I was aiming for with my production. I technically experimented with processes like programming, miking, processing, and editing on various digital audio workstations like. With exploration in all these areas, I aim for my project to not only act as a symbol of my artistic path, but to hopefully inspire other like-minded songwriters into such a musical exploration.

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  THE DARK SIDE OF THE OUD: EXPLORING UNCHARTED TERRITORIES OF COMPOSITION CONCEPTS ON OUD

  Nikos Siderakis
  2023

  This present research explores innovative concepts of composition that bring together the rich musical traditions of the Middle East and Turkey with contemporary elements from genres such as jazz. The objective was to create original compositions that harmoniously blend traditional and modern elements, showcasing the dynamic evolution of music, while at the same the author is developing their own artistic identity through this process. The research process involved a study of both traditional musicians deeply rooted in Middle Eastern and Turkish music and contemporary artists who have successfully incorporated world music influences into their work. By analyzing their techniques, musical structures, and approaches to composition, new ideas and creative concepts were discovered. Furthermore, the study documents the author's personal journey at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, where the research was conducted. It discusses the experiences, challenges, and discoveries encountered during the compositional process. This includes moments of experimentation, exploration, and reflection, as well as the integration of newly acquired knowledge and skills acquired through formal education. The resulting compositions showcase the author's creative journey, reflecting a harmonious blend of traditional Middle Eastern and Turkish musical elements with contemporary jazz influences. Through this interdisciplinary approach, the thesis explores the possibilities of musical fusion and serves as a testament to the transformative power of cross-cultural collaborations in contemporary composition.

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  The Blueprint of my Artistic World: The development of an aesthetic and EP

  Djessy van den Dries
  2023

  This Culminating Experience revolves around the development of an artistic aesthetic, and the making of an EP incorporating this aesthetic, with a strong connection between the music and lyrical and conceptual content. With the objective to develop a distinct, unique artistic aesthetic and identity, the music has a journey-like sensation to it, and can feel as its own universe. Mainly through the method of auto-ethnography as well as through creative research and model observation, the aesthetic and EP has been developing within this Culminating Experience. Musical elements that are used to compose in connection to the aesthetic, are elements within harmony, melody, orchestration, instrumentation, production, form, register, rhythm and meter, and performance. Lyrical themes that occur are nature, courage, self-expression, colorfulness, kindness, truth, the soul, the heart, and rebirth. The overarching concept of the EP is the following: “The opening up of a heart and the becoming visible of the soul, through personification and conversation with nature.”

  While the music is not bound to a specific genre, the idea of musical expression regardless of genre/integrating multiple genres, and the idea of developing a new musical world through which the listener can journey, is influenced by the music of artists such as Jacob Collier, Bjork, Laura Mvula, Sufjan Stevens, Debussy, Snarky Puppy and Astor Piazzolla. Besides the main focus on the music, this paper also touches upon the development of the aesthetic within areas such as for example visuals (photos and videos), and stage presence. It also includes notes from interviews and masterclasses with artists and experts on artistic aesthetic, as well as feedback on the result of the Culminating Experience - the EP - through a survey done with a focus group, and from conversations with experts.

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  Closing the Gap Between Different Cultures Through Music

  Michael Ventura
  2023

  The objective of my Culminating Experience project was to investigate various musical cultures around the world and learn how to compose in these different styles. During my research I learned about the importance of simple musical ideas and the communities that music has been born from. By listening to music, interviewing musicians from across the globe, and practicing by writing in these different styles, I was able to integrate these sounds into my ear, slowly but surely finding ways to combine it with Jazz music. Jazz itself comes from marginalized communities formed a style of music that they felt reflected the struggles of their time, just as African slaves did in Cuba when they could not express their religions, or just as the Roma communities in Spain when they were creating Flamenco music. With my research I sought to find how related all this music really is while also writing music that combined different compositional elements I learned from these different styles.

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  Oriental - Latin Rhythms Cross Points

  Ahmad Aljarrah
  2022

  The purpose of my project is to define a new approach to merge rhythms from two different cultures together, to generate a new outcome that works in both source cultures. Additionally, I would like this combination to foster the sharing of percussions instruments and techniques between percussion players all around the world, to incorporate them in the original style of their own musical tradition. The first proposal is aimed to develop oriental rhythms through Latin rhythms combinations and Latin percussion style. This merge of styles affect the role of oriental percussion instruments and change their history, taking them into a new era of grooves and variations that could lead to the emergence of a new identity of oriental music.