Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates the Music of Fleetwood Mac

Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates the Music of Fleetwood Mac The concert will feature a global cast of over 100 students performing a career-spanning set list of songs from one of the most influential bands in pop culture history.

By

Daniel Pesquera

February 7, 2025

Berklee's spring Signature Series presents Great American Songbook: Dreams-The Music of Fleetwood Mac, a much-anticipated concert event that takes place Thursday, March 6, at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center.

Under the guidance of Maureen McMullan PD '09, senior concert producer, and faculty team members, over 100 students representing 30 countries from a broad spectrum of disciplines have come together on this production. The concert will feature performances from 28 lead vocalists and an eclectic array of more than 20 instruments-from the pedal steel guitar to the bouzouki to a string quartet-capturing the nuanced timbres and the intercultural blend of genres that is the unique signature of the Fleetwood Mac sound.

Special guest Taku Hirano '95, a world-renowned percussionist and Berklee alumnus who has toured extensively with Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, will join the student ensemble to perform two original arrangements. Hirano, the first Berklee student to study hand percussion as a principal instrument, has toured and recorded with some of the industry's biggest names, such as Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, John Mayer '98, Usher, the Temptations, and LeAnn Rimes, among many others.

I am absolutely thrilled to return to the Berklee Performance Center stage, where I performed in so many convocation, commencement, and Singers Showcase concerts as an undergrad, said Hirano, who recently performed at the Grammys during the tribute to Quincy Jones '51, '83H, sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock '86H. It will truly be a poignant, full-circle moment for me to play the music of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks-who I have had the honor of touring the world with over the last 20-plus years-and to get to do so with the next generation of musical talent to enter the industry.

Attendees can look forward to reimagined renditions of Fleetwood Mac classics in a 29-song, career-spanning setlist featuring original student arrangements, bold medleys, dynamic three-part harmonies, and a fusion of global styles. Highlights include beloved hits, such as Dreams, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, Don't Stop, and Landslide.

In addition to vocalists and instrumentalists, the concert showcases the work of student arrangers, conductors, track producers, choreographers, dancers, and visual artists, selected from a highly competitive applicant pool of over 700 students.

The level of collaboration on this production has become a dynamic microcosm of the music industry, where, for example, we have arrangers working closely with vocalists to determine optimum key signatures and harmonies, house band members contributing musical ideas in sectionals, and track producers adding sound design and sequencing, said McMullan. By the end of the project, everyone will have had their hand on some aspect of the concert and will be deeply invested in its success. The level of musicianship, creativity, and artistry that the students have poured into this show, and the way they have supported each other, is inspiring and we are excited to hear it all come together on stage!

Fleetwood Mac continues to influence generations of artists and music lovers, as seen in the viral resurgence of Dreams on social media. With over 120 million records sold worldwide, two Grammy Awards and seven nominations, and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the band has cemented its place among the all-time great musical acts of the 20th century. The Great American Songbook series not only celebrates Fleetwood Macs enduring legacy, but also reflects the breadth, depth, and diversity of Berklee's remarkable student body.

Great American Songbook: Dreams-The Music of Fleetwood Mac will take place on Thursday, March 6, at 8:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, located at 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Admission is $15-$20 in advance and $20-$25 on the day of the show. A limited number of tickets remain and are available online and at the Berklee box office. The event will also be livestreamed.

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