I arrived at 160 Massachusetts Avenue with my two carriers and backpack. I was then welcomed by Berklee staff as they gave me my room key, ID card, lanyard, and T-shirt. I headed to my dorm building 150 Massachusetts Avenue, swiped my card, and took the elevator to the sixth floor. I unlocked the door and found that I was staying in a triple room for three students. In the room, I met both of my roommates: a trombonist and another fellow percussionist. 

After I got settled in my room, my two roommates and I made our way to 8 Fenway for the mandatory welcome meeting. The welcome meeting explained a lot about the complicated schedule. 

Everyday, we were required to attend a studio lesson in the morning with one of the thirteen teachers we were each assigned to. A single studio had one teacher responsible for either five or six students. In the afternoon, we were to have a reading session with our studio group everyday. In my opinion, these reading sessions were what made this program most valuable. In the 50-minute reading sessions, we were able to show our composition drafts to professional musicians to workshop our compositions and receive feedback. It was incredibly helpful to work with professionals who could tell us what was difficult to play, different timbres an instrument could play, and more. I’m sure that future participants will also feel the same way.

Finally, in the evening, there was a faculty presentation where one of the teachers would give composition advice, speak about their own music, and more.

The biggest challenge of this program was the fact that everyone had to compose three pieces in two weeks: a solo piano piece in one and a half days, a woodwind and percussion duet in two and a half days, and a string quartet in four days. There were multiple nights where I stayed up in a practice room many hours past midnight just to finish up my drafts. However, it’s important to note that I did overcome that challenge; I was able to successfully write three pieces and record them with professional musicians. I think that the time constraints were a bit limiting at times, but I also believe that composing quickly is a valuable skill to learn. Additionally, to assist students with creativity problems, the program also required us to explore Boston, exploring places like the Fine Arts Museum of Boston and Copley Square to get inspiration for our pieces. 

My favorite part about the school was the abundance of Steinway pianos. Every single room had a high-quality piano that was tuned very often. Most practice rooms had an Yamaha upright piano, and most classrooms had either one or two Steinway grand pianos. I’ve never been to a place with more pianos than the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. It was at this program where I learned that it is possible to play harmonics on a piano. The facilities were maintained very well and enhanced our learning experience greatly by allowing us to push our creative limits.

What I thought could’ve been improved about this program is the strong focus on contemporary music. Most of the teachers were composers of contemporary music, a genre I was very unfamiliar with. At times, I felt that we were almost forced into writing contemporary music.

Something I really enjoyed in his program was that everyone loved music. My friends and I had frequent “jam sessions” where we met in large practice rooms and played songs for fun. Although we all came to Berklee for composition, we were all capable of playing instruments. We had pianists, drummers and percussionists, violinists, a guitarist, a trombonist, and a saxophonist. It was a really great experience meeting students around the globe who shared something in common with me: a passion for music. Playing songs brought us together and made us become close friends even in just two weeks. Reflecting back on this experience, I realize the power of improvisational playing and how practical a skill it really is.

Overall, the program required a higher level of compositional skills than I expected, and knowing basic music theory before the program is a must. Classes in this program aren’t composition lessons; they are workshops meant to spark creativity and receive feedback. I would highly recommend this summer program for students with a solid foundation in composition.