David Friend Recital Hall

Piano faculty Jalon Smith and Grammy Award–winning songwriting faculty Keli Nicole Price present an evening of original student R&B compositions alongside tribute performances honoring the late legends D’Angelo and Angie Stone. This concert highlights the power of interdepartmental collaboration in the R&B space, where songwriting and performance come together in celebration of soul, groove, and legacy.

This concert features Berklee faculty members Jason Yeager (piano) and Edmar Colón (saxophone), and opens with interdepartmental student duo pairings, offering a powerful example of collaborative artistry across faculty and students.

Featuring outstanding pianists selected by faculty adjudicators, the Keys Fest Student Concert showcases high-level performances across a variety of genres in solo piano settings. These exceptional students represent the depth of artistry within the Berklee Piano Department.

 

This event is the official book release of Sing Vocal Jazz, Teach Vocal Jazz, the groundbreaking new work by Berklee alumna Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds, dean of the Professional Education Division. The event is more than a book launch—it is a live exploration of jazz history and pedagogy featuring an elite ensemble of performers.

 

Join us for the 31st Annual Harmony and Jazz Composition Department Write of Spring Concert, showcasing original compositions and arrangements by the department's esteemed faculty. Produced by Randy Pingrey and Brian Landrus, this special evening will feature performances by a dynamic faculty ensemble representing talented musicians from across the Berklee community.

Join Lee Sklar (James Taylor, Phil Collins), Joe Dart (Vulfpeck), Steve Jordan (John Mayer, the Rolling Stones), Victor Wooten (Béla Fleck, Chick Corea), and Steve Bailey (Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Walsh, Jethro Tull) as they open a three-day residency playing, talking, and sharing their paths to where they are today.

Steve Jordan, a household name in drumming, will share his experiences and insights into playing with some of the greatest bassists in history. He will be joined by Victor Wooten, Lee Sklar, Joe Dart, and Steve Bailey at Bass Bash 2026 as they explore groove, feel, and working together to make a song great. 

Prepare to be transported by Strings of the Anatolian Heart, a recital by Dr. Ozan Aksoy. In this deeply personal recital, Aksoy unlocks the soul of Anatolia through the strings of his bağlama (also known as saz) and the power of his voice. A celebrated performer and Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty member at Berklee, Aksoy curates an evening of folk and traditional songs that traverse linguistic and cultural boundaries, sung in their original Kurdish, Turkish, and Armenian.
 

The great Lee Sklar will screen the documentary The Immediate Family by director Denny Tedesco. This award-winning deep dive into the recording industry is told through the eyes of five prolific legends. The film culminates in a historic collaboration, distilling centuries of collective studio mastery into a single session. 

Joe Dart, bassist with Vulfpeck, gives us insight into his unconventional path to success with Vulfpeck, and as an in-demand bassist, writer, and producer. Dart will be joined by Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey who will ask the good questions, and maybe even get to the bottom of what is the best fingering for "Dean Town."