Berklee's 27th Annual Encore Gala
Join us on October 22, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. ET for a special evening as we celebrate the 27th annual Encore Gala in virtual style with a livestream from the Berklee Performance Center. We will showcase a variety of musical performances featuring talented student and alumni musicians and special guests performing jazz, bluegrass, R&B, and world music. You can host your guests, either in your own home or virtually, as we come together as a community.
Livestream: 8:00 p.m. ET
Guests: The livestream link will be emailed to all registered guests.
Pricing: Click here for current pricing.
Berklee Gala Committee
Cochairs: Sandhya S. and Craig S. Douglas, Andrew and Mariann Youniss
Members: Marybeth Bisson '19P, Arthur Black, Jessica Donohue, Debbie Edmundson '19P, Stefan Gavell, Kristine Higgins, Teresa Koster, Mark Mandel, Jeryl Oristaglio, David Patrick '79, Carmichael Roberts, Susan Solomont, David and Lori Sprows, Richard Vieira, and Tania Zouikin
For more information, contact Lindsey Chinni at lchinni@berklee.edu. Please check back regularly for more event updates.
Copresenting Sponsors
Colead Sponsors
Andrew and Mariann Youniss
Platinum Sponsors
Sandhya S. and Craig S. Douglas
Miky Lee
Music Performances and Special Guests
Below is a list of some of the performers at this year's Encore Gala. More artists will be announced soon.
Latinx Music
Sheila Del Bosque Trio
Current Berklee student and film scoring major Sheila Del Bosque Fuentes hails from Havana, Cuba. An in-demand young flutist, she was awarded a full tuition scholarship to attend Berklee. In 2018, she created the Sheila Del Bosque Trio, which performs a selection of contemporary and traditional Afro-Cuban music with the influences of European music and jazz. She has shared the stage with musicians such as Paquito d’Rivera, Berta Rojas, Omar Hakim, and Aida Cuevas. Her recent performances include venues such as the 49th annual Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey, the Berklee Performance Center, Mechanics Hall, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston.
Soul and Rock Music
Brandon Harris & Friends
A 2021 Berklee graduate and professional music major, Brandon Harris was born and raised in Chicago. He is a singer-songwriter full of rhythm and soul whose voice and charm is eye-catching. His creative lyricism paired with his musicality make him truly one-of-a-kind. He found his love for music in the church at the age of 10 and has been writing and releasing his own material ever since. As a musician, singer, writer, and performer, his artistry is influenced by Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, and Beyoncé, among others. He most recently dropped a new album entitled Salt, available on all streaming platforms.
Roots Music
Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
Currently a third-semester Berklee student, Liam Purcell began studying on scholarship at Berklee in the fall of 2020. Purcell and his band, Cane Mill Road, are rapidly rising on the bluegrass scene, performing stateside and internationally, winning both industry awards and the hearts of those who see them. Named Momentum Band of the Year in 2019 by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the group has been recognized as one of the most accomplished new groups in the industry. Purcell leads Cane Mill Road as they draw on their Appalachian roots while boldly writing and arranging new music of their own. The group's latest album, Roots, broke the top 10 on Billboard's Bluegrass Album charts, debuting at No. 6. The group tours throughout the U.S. at some of the most iconic festivals and venues in the nation.
Special Guest
Grace Kinstler
Berklee student Grace Kinstler is a 21-year-old award-winning singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. After placing third on this past season of American Idol, she began performing all across the country at various festivals and events, including at Miss America New York, the grand opening of the Sable Hotel at Navy Pier in Chicago, and numerous Chicago Bulls and White Sox games. She has released two EPs and will be releasing more original music in early 2022. During her time at Berklee, she participated in such shows as Upper Structure A Cappella, Berklee’s Icons of the '80s, and the Singers Showcase productions Bond...James Bond and Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul.
Supporting Future Musicians
Berklee City Music
All proceeds benefit Berklee City Music®, the college’s educational outreach program that leverages the power of contemporary music to empower youth from underserved communities to develop musically, academically, socially, and emotionally. Founded over 26 years ago, City Music works with marginalized communities to help develop talented youth and provide them with pathways to college, through both in-person and virtual classrooms.
26th Encore Gala
Steve Winwood
Berklee raised over $1.5 million in support of the Berklee City Music program at the 2020 Encore Gala, which featured over 150 faculty, student, and alumni musicians from 23 countries, and an array of celebrity guests.
Last year's event, which was held virtually on Saturday, October 24, 2020, began with remarks from Berklee leadership, and included special guest appearances by Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest ’07H, Gloria and Emilio Estefan ’07H ’16P, Quincy Jones ’51 ’83H, LL Cool J ’24P, Alex Lacamoire B.M. ’95 ’19H, Rickey Minor, famed Red Sox player David Ortiz, and comedian Sinbad.
Berklee is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 04-2300472. We will adhere to all state and local guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.