Cercie Miller

"In my ear training classes, I like to keep the focus moving around the room, doing relays of rhythms and solfège, for example. I want everyone to participate and contribute. I don’t like to stand in front of the class and lecture; I like to keep the energy flowing and mix things up, to get performance and listening and analysis all going in the same session. Ear training in particular is something that involves a lot of interaction, a lot of back and forth."

"Every student is such a strong individual in terms of what he or she brings to your subject or to any subject: where the student’s coming from, what his or her skill set is, and even the geographical location. I’ve had everyone in my classes, from somebody from Mongolia to someone from the Fiji Islands. People really come in with different backgrounds and different skill sets, and that’s one of the things that makes it so interesting to teach. I think I’m sensitive to the fact that it’s a big world out there, and I’m not narrow in my focus or in what I think is legitimate. I have had different experiences myself, so it helps me relate to my students. I appreciate what they teach me in all the kinds of musical projects that they’re involved in."

"For the musician interested in a range of contemporary music, Berklee is the place where all types of contemporary music come together. I don’t know of any program that more effectively brings the elements of contemporary music together. Many conservatories have departments and sections that do address contemporary music, but those are departments within a larger conservatory, whereas Berklee has a track record of being able to convey all of this material in a really organized and effective way."