Berklee City Music Launches Ambassador Program

Berklee City Music Launches Ambassador Program Nine ambassadors representing all aspects of the music industry will advise, mentor, and work with Berklee City Music students throughout the academic year.

By

Tori Donahue

December 22, 2021

The 2021-2022 City Music Ambassadors. From top left: Madison Calley, Ondrej Pivec, Dwight Watson, Keyon Harrold, Kameron Whalum, Theron Feemster 00. First row, from left: Niu Raza B.M. 18, Michael Refuerzo, Tia Fuller

Image by Davis Goldman

Berklee City Music, an organization that enables youth from underserved communities to develop musically, academically, socially, and emotionally through the study of contemporary music and the performing arts, has announced its inaugural ambassador program with nine professionals representing various aspects of the music industry.

Founded over 25 years ago by Berklee College of Music, Berklee City Music reaches more than 55,000 students annually through a variety of programs and initiatives including the Berklee City Music Network , Berklee City Music Boston, and the innovative, online Berklee PULSE Music Method. By using culturally relevant music as a vehicle for holistic youth development, City Music helps young people flourish as students, musicians, performing artists, and-perhaps most importantly-confident and well-rounded individuals ready to shape the world. The nine Berklee City Music Ambassadors, which includes faculty, alumni, and professionals affiliated with Berklee, will serve as mentors, advisors, and collaborators for Berklee City Music students throughout the academic year. Berklee City Music will publish monthly profiles on each ambassador on Berklee Pulse.

Several ambassadors made their collaborative debut at Berklee's Encore Gala earlier this fall, where they performed alongside Berklee City Music Scholarship recipients throughout the event. The Gala also served as the premiere of the ambassadors' original anthem, That Feeling, which was collaboratively written by ambassadors Theron Feemster 00 and Niu Raza B.M. 18, guest artist Badger, and Misael Martinez, senior director for Berklee City Music.

Berklee's 2021-2022 City Music Ambassadors Madison Calley Madison Calley is a classically trained harpist, social entrepreneur, and acclaimed performer based in Los Angeles. Calley gained recognition for her soulful performances of pop and R&B songs, amassing over half a million views on her Instagram profile. She played the harp as part of Roddy Ricch's 2021 Grammys performance of Heartless/The Box ; she has also been featured in performances at the BET Awards and the Latin Grammy Awards. Calley developed a love for the harp as a child, first learning piano at age six and pursuing the harp at age eight. She performed as a part of the D.C. Youth Orchestra and studied music at Carnegie Mellon University. Calley built a path of entrepreneurship following her studies when she moved to Los Angeles to establish a swimwear line. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to collaborate with Willow Smith as a featured harpist for a social media video, which eventually led her back to the harp. Calley recently released a debut album, Ethereal, featuring eight covers that showcase the connection between classical and contemporary music. Calley is also passionate about making music, particularly the harp, accessible and affordable for the next generation of young musicians.

Theron Feemster 00 Theron Feemster, also known as Neff-U, is an acclaimed songwriter, producer, and composer who has worked with Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Bieber, and Sia, among countless others. Feemster has composed for movies and programs on Lifetime, Disney, Fox, and other multimedia entities. Born in Grover, North Carolina, he started playing the piano at two years old. Growing up in his father's non-denominational church, he learned to freely express himself and his musical talent. After graduating high school, Feemster went on to study at Berklee College of Music. It was there in his dorm that he wrote a musical composition that made its way into the hands of Will Smith, which became the theme song for Men In Black II. In 2001, Feemster moved to Los Angeles to dive into his never-ending journey of musical growth. He is signed to Universal Music Publishing.

Tia Fuller A Grammy nominated artist and accomplished educator, Fuller has been the featured saxophonist with pop diva Beyonc , on the I Am Sasha Fierce, The Beyonc Experience, and Live at the Wynn Theatre worldwide tours. She has been involved with Berklee City Music for years, serving as the artistic director of the Berklee City Music Boston High School Academy program. Fuller has also served as assistant musical director for Esperanza Spalding's Radio Music Society tour, and she performed on Terri Lyne Carrington's Mosaic Project and Money Jungle tours. Fuller has recorded five albums: Healing Space, Decisive Steps, Angelic Warrior, Pillar of Strength, and Diamond Cut, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in 2019. Fuller was a featured performer in the Academy Award-winning animated Pixar film Soul, in which she performed saxophone for the lead character, Dorothea Williams. Her quartet has performed at festivals all over the world, including in Panama, the Netherlands, Italy, Angola, and South Africa. Fuller has been featured on the cover of DownBeat and JazzTimes, and in a national J.Jill campaign celebrating dynamic women in the arts. She has received numerous awards and marks of distinction, winning the JazzTimes Critics' Poll for best alto saxophonist, and the DownBeat International Critics' Poll Rising Star award in 2013 and 2014. She received the Benny Golson Award from Howard University in 2018. A devoted educator, Fuller directs Berklee's Beyonc , Bruno Mars, Ariana G

LINK:	https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/berklee-city-music-launches-a...
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