Daniela Schachter Image — Photo by Jean Hangarter

Alum

Daniela Schächter

Associate Professor

Affiliated Departments

Berklee Online

Piano

Voice

dschachter@berklee.edu

617-747-6063

Artist website

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Daniela Schächter started her musical career early, performing publicly in Sicily, Italy. After her classical studies, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts as the recipient of a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she studied with Phil Wilson, Joe Lovano, Hal Crook, and Joanne Brackeen.

Daniela has won many prestigious awards, such as the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition in 2005, the Sisters in Jazz Competition in 2002, and Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Competition in 2002, among others. She also was chosen to appear on the Jazziz collector’s CD in August 2001. She has performed at the Brass Group Jazz Festival, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Cleveland Jazz Fest (with the Rainbow Big Band), the International Trumpet Guild Conference, the Kennedy Center, the Sarasota Jazz Festival, the Cape Cod Jazz Festival, the Ravinia Festival (with the Count Basie Big Band), and the Hollywood Bowl.

Daniela has shared the stage with Randy Brecker, John Clayton Jr. and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the New York Voices, Terri Lyne Carrington, Patti Austin, Kevin Mahogany, Carmen Lundy, Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Ingrid Jensen, and Shirley Horn, to name a few. Daniela also was a guest artist on Marian McPartland’s prestigious Piano Jazz radio program on NPR.

Daniela’s fourth album, Vanheusenism: A Tribute To Jimmy Van Heusen, was released in October 2016.

Courses Taught (5)

Rhythm Section Grooves for Vocalists I

ENVC-111

Vocal Ensemble With Improvisation 1: Jazz/Blues

ENVC-122

Piano-Accompanying Techniques for Vocalists

ILVC-260

Private Instruction - Voice: All Levels

PIVC-XXX

Recital Preparation: Voice - All Levels

RPVC-XXX

Career Highlights

Conducted by Quincy Jones, Patrick Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, John Clayton Jr., Elmer Bernstein, Bob Brookmeyer, and Justin DiCioccio
Featured on the Jazziz collector’s CD, August 2001 issue
Performed with Patti Austin and the Boston Pops
Performed at the Ravinia Festival with the Count Basie Orchestra
Guest artist on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz
Panelist at Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Competition
Faculty-in-residence at Hokkaido Groove Camp in Sapporo, Japan
Full fellowship recipient at the Henry Mancini Institute at UCLA
Studied with Billy Childs, Bill Cunliffe
Symphony orchestra and big band performances at the Hollywood Bowl and Wadsworth Theater

Awards

The Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition, 2005
The Sisters in Jazz Competition, 2002
Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Competition, 2002
The Terri Lyne Carrington Endowed Scholarship
The Tindari 93 Prize for best jazz duo with her brother, Davide Schächter

In Their Own Words

It is my hope that my students will gain the confidence and awareness they need to be successful in the music world. I will support their choices.

I will help them:

understand their instrument and find their own voice,
understand the harmonic structure of a song and write arrangements,
develop repertoire and know how to use music programs,
develop a regular practice routine,
plan their studies to achieve their goals, and
explore new ways of performing that incorporate a more improvised, creative approach.

While I am currently specializing in jazz, I have performed other styles of music, including classical, rock, funk, Brazilian, pop, and disco. For this reason, I teach my students that versatility will help open doors after college. Living in New York City especially, I was able to support myself and not just “survive” as a musician.

I am a vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger, and producer. I have performed as a side musician, but I mostly perform as a leader nowadays, and I know what it takes to be respected in the music industry. I know both worlds, and I always share my knowledge and my experiences with my students.