BGJI 15-Year Celebration Undergraduate Concert: Zero Gravity and Beyond
Danilo Pérez
The Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI) is a forward-thinking music institution dedicated to nurturing the artists of the new millennium. It is under the artistic direction of the renowned pianist and composer Danilo Pérez, with Italian saxophonist Marco Pignataro serving as its managing director.
Over the last 15 years, the BGJI has cultivated some of the finest global-minded musicians, creating a community focused on human development and social activism. “One of the goals of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute is to offer the students perspectives that transcend categorization and stereotypes while fostering a learning environment where fulfilling artistic, social, and intellectual experiences interconnect and shape the personality of a new global musician,” says Pérez.
Pignataro adds that “The BGJI has promoted a creative global outlook to jazz education, inspiring other programs to follow suit. During this process, we have reached over 10,000 students at our weekly events, mentoring a total of 168 students from six continents, many of which are the current artists reshaping the identity of modern jazz.”
The BGJI provides a comprehensive contemporary music environment where students are given opportunities to explore their creativity to the highest level possible, advance the power of music as a tool for the betterment of society, and connect musical creative thinking with the natural environment. For more information, visit berklee.edu/focused/global-jazz.