5115 research outputs found
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Resilience + Evolution
No full textThe project has a very personal meaning and is called Resilience + Evolution. My ability to stay focused, keep moving forward, and never give up in the face of extreme academic pressure at Berklee NYC is exemplified by the word resilience. Evolution, however, stands for my deliberate choice to venture outside my comfort zone. My objective was very obvious when I arrived to Berklee NYC: to develop into a well-rounded musician, composer, and producer who could contribute to a variety of musical genres and creative processes. I wanted to go beyond the limits of my symphonic and classical training and effortlessly incorporate them with pop instruments, electronic textures, or cutting-edge production methods.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1152/thumbnail.jp
Azúcar, flores y muchos colores
No full textAzúcar, Flores y Muchos Colores (Sugar, Flowers, and Lots of Colors) was born from the romanticization of being a woman in her twenties—someone who has already experienced love, loss, friendships, and everything in between. The project explores how these feelings shape individuals as they grow up—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. It embraces the blurry lines between emotions and celebrates the complexity of feeling everything fully. For María Fernanda, expressing femininity through songwriting and production was central. After holding on to these emotions for so long, turning them into a 5-song EP during her time at Berklee felt both fresh and liberating. She believes that everyone is made of both their best and worst parts—and that embracing all aspects of oneself is essential. This project blends the intensity of reggaeton and urban rhythms with the silkiness of R&B, creating a contrast that mirrors her growth as a producer and songwriter deeply in touch with her emotions.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1154/thumbnail.jp
Fleeing Eastward 向东逃
No full textFleeing Eastward is a journey of escape that begins deep within—not driven by fear, but by a longing for truth, self, and belonging. In a world overwhelmed by speed and noise, we choose to turn eastward—toward the rising sun, toward ancient and gentle voices, toward a home not yet defined. This five-track EP, created by Jacky for his duo band WuLinG (捕鱼人), blends elements of 80s R&B, pop, electronic, Chinese traditional folk, and world music. Seen through an Eastern lens and shaped by the emotional landscape and collective memories of a younger generation, the EP explores the inner world and emotional map of a musical traveler. Each song marks both an arrival and a farewell. This is Jacky’s first conceptual project with WuLinG, beyond prior singles, and a bold step forward in shaping his personal artistic identity.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1124/thumbnail.jp
The Cardboard
No full textThe Cardboard is a multidisciplinary creative project that explores personal storytelling through original music, visual identity, and performance. Motivated by a desire to articulate my identity as a bicultural artist, I used cardboard as a metaphor for resilience and transformation—taking something humble and turning it into something expressive. The project includes five original songs combining jazz fusion, funk, hip-hop, and R&B, each built with distinctive rhythmic approaches such as metric modulation, swing grooves, and improvisation. To support the narrative and sonic identity, I crafted hand-built cardboard instruments for the album visuals and explored analog textures in the production. Deliverables include an EP, multitrack session files, music videos, and a strategic artist branding map. Throughout the process, I refined skills in mixing, songwriting, and visual storytelling while embracing unexpected challenges in aligning cohesive visuals with a genre-blending sound. This project serves as a model for integrating handmade aesthetics with digital production, offering a blueprint for emerging artists who aim to blend cultural roots with modern expression.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1135/thumbnail.jp
ZONG
No full text“ZONG” is a bilingual genre-fusion EP that reflects Qichen Zong’s artistic identity and emotional journey as an international artist. Created during her time at Berklee NYC, the project merges hip-hop and electronic music while centering vocal expression and cultural hybridity. Across five original tracks, Zong uses production, songwriting, and performance to tell deeply personal stories of self-discovery, vulnerability, and resilience. Drawing from real-life experiences—such as competing in national music programs, living between China and the U.S., and navigating a growing music career—Zong shaped each song with a unique sound design and emotional arc. From the introspective tone of “Needed” to the bold bilingual energy of “252,” the EP explores genre-crossing techniques, live instrumentation, and cross-cultural lyricism. As executive producer, Zong gained advanced skills in sound design, vocal mixing, and session engineering, while also strengthening her understanding of the global music business. This project not only marks her creative evolution but also lays the groundwork for her global debut and upcoming U.S. tour. “ZONG” stands as both a culmination of her academic journey and a launchpad for her future as a front-facing performer and international artist.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1177/thumbnail.jp
Embraced by the Flowing Water: Oud as a Queer Ontology
No full textEmbraced by the Flowing Water: Oud as a Queer Ontology, is a multi- composition, research-based artistic exploration that imagines the oud as a fluid, shape- shifting identity, and queer body. Drawing from Sara Ahmed’s Queer Phenomenology, which explores how bodies orient and reorient in space, the project examines the oud’s historical disappearance from Iran, its transformation, and its evolving role in creative and jazz music. Through original compositions, critical research, arrangements, and collaborative performances, the project repositions the oud as both a soloist and a rhythm section instrument. Each piece engages with themes of memory, disorientation, migration, and identity. This project contributes to the oud’s growing presence in creative and jazz music while also initiating a pedagogical effort to transcribe and arrange early Iranian classical music repertoire, expanding the instrument’s future possibilities.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-global-jazz/1177/thumbnail.jp
That’s my first album
No full text“That’s My First Album” marks the debut musical project of the artist, showcasing a creative fusion of various electronic music genres across five original tracks. The album is a sonic exploration that blends elements of drum and bass, UK dubstep, and trap, resulting in a distinctive and immersive sound. Central to the project’s identity are the intricacies of sound design and mixing—sound design playing a vital role in shaping the unique textures and atmosphere, while precise mixing enhances the clarity and cohesiveness of each track. The technical depth of the album is elevated by key collaborations, most notably with Esteban and Anoh, who contributed as sound engineer and featured artist, respectively. Their involvement brought an additional layer of creativity and professionalism that enriched the overall production. The project not only reflects the artist’s evolving musical identity but also exemplifies the collaborative nature of modern electronic music production. Through detailed sound craftsmanship and genre-blending innovation, “That’s My First Album” stands as a compelling first entry into the electronic music scene. Many many thanks to Simone Tanda for his feedback on the authors songs that made the album much better and much easie r to producehttps://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-production-technology/1413/thumbnail.jp
To the Rescue
No full textThis project discusses the culminating experience process of To the Rescue, a rescore of an action scene from Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War (2018). From sharing inspiration about the project and the early stages of composing and orchestrating, to explaining score and part preparation, I share everything that I experienced in the final days leading up to recording To the Rescue at AIR Studios Lyndhurst in London. I emphasize the importance of balance throughout the orchestra and the use of different orchestral textures in this kind of cue. Furthermore, I share how I navigated unanticipated challenges, elements that I could have approached differently, and feedback throughout the process from my advisors and colleagues. Overall, I reflect honestly upon my experience and discuss what I plan to do in my future steps. I hope that this project can serve as a guide to future SFTV students and help them make the most out of their culminating experiences.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-scoring/1320/thumbnail.jp
Mistakes Were Made
No full textThis project is six songs, a lyric video, and related documentation. The author wrote and produced every song and (with a few exceptions) performed every instrument. Lyrically, the songs explore themes of hopelessness, broken social contracts, and misinformation. It is planned to release the songs by the end of 2025.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1174/thumbnail.jp
Machine Gun Writer
No full textThis paper will be covering the complete scope of the five songs inside this Culminating Experience Project titled “Machine Gun Writer.” First, a macro observation of the project, followed by a more granular view of it’s inner workings and dynamics. Next, an overview of the skills improved over the course of this project, and the challenges that hindred Machine Gun Writers completion. After laying out the marketing plans for the roll out of the project, the paper will conclude with final thoughts on the project and the program Machine Gun Writer is a singer/songwriter EP consisting of five songs with strong roots in folk that branch out into alternative rock. The majority of the recordings took place outside of the studio, instead finding their creation in the closet of a Hell’s Kitchen apartment. The production, mixing and mastering- in line with the program’s want to keep music creation in the box, has been done completely in Ableton. The instrumentation mainly consists of acoustic guitars, electronic bass, vocals and light percussion elements consisting of live and electronic samples. The plug in’s used in the production, mixing, and mastering are almost entirely limited to UAD emulations of analogue gear, Ozone 11, and stock Ableton audio effects.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-cmat/1129/thumbnail.jp