Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

February Performers in Berklee's Two Track Series Celebrate Empowerment

24/02/2023

February Performers in Berklee's Two Track Series Celebrate Empowerment The popular YouTube series features students performing original music and sharing ideas around a central theme.

By

Mirtini Oikonomou

February 24, 2023

Vivienne Artur

Image courtesy of the artist

Berklee's Two Track music video series features some of the most talented artists from the Berklee community performing in a stripped-down recording session filmed in continuous camera shots with just a single microphone. Launched in September 2021, the performances, which have collected over 400,000 views to date, premiere every Wednesday evening at 8:00 p.m. ET on the Berklee's YouTube channel.

Each installment of Two Track revolves around a monthly theme that the artist engages with, either through their choice of songs and/or through a short storytelling segment recorded as part of the session. In February, performers explored the theme of empowerment.

Roella Oloro On February 1, the series began with a performance by Roella Oloro, a British composer and multi-instrumentalist of Nigerian and Jamaican descent. Roella performed Actual Proof by Herbie Hancock and her original song Something Sultry. Oloro's early musical home was in the Pentecostal church, where she played piano in regional gospel choirs around southwest England. She also plays the clarinet, alto saxophone, and bass guitar. Inspired by jazz in her early teens after hearing the virtuosic brilliance of Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson, she moved to London in 2017 to study at Trinity Laban and quickly became involved with the citys vibrant music scene. Oloro was offered a full scholarship to study at Berklee after attending the Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive program during the summer of 2018. In 2022, she won the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC) Prize for Emerging Black Composers.

Mae Ya Carter Ryan Twenty-one-year-old student singer-songwriter and arranger Mae Ya Carter Ryan opened her Two Track performance on February 8 with the song Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston, followed by her original song Learn to Fly. The self-taught vocalist seamlessly moves between jazz, gospel, R&B, classical, and blues. Raised in a home of jazz lovers, Carter Ryan grew up listening to musical legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Mahalia Jackson. At age 7, she asked her mother for voice lessons, singing around the house when her mother didnt sign her up right away. The vocalist, who has been performing ever since, has appeared on several television programs, including WGN-TV's Morning News, CBS-TV's Someone You Should Know segment, and Ovation Network's Young Marvels, a 10-week series featuring child prodigies.

Samuel Sjostedt On February 15, Samuel Sjostedt performed two songs accompanied by Sueda Catakoglu (piano), Filippo Goller (bass), and Alek Surenian (darbuka, a Middle Eastern percussion instrument). The first song, Fluttering Bird, was an original track cowritten with Armadi Tasyn. The second piece included the traditional Armenian folk song Dle Yaman, performed on the duduk, an ancient Armenian double-reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood. Sjostedt talked about the importance of young Armenians continuing to empower our culture, empower the spirit of our people, and try and make it through these difficult times as a culture, and as humans.

Vivienne Artur Two Tracks empowerment cycle closed on February 22 with Vivienne Artur, a singer-songwriter from Lambertville, New Jersey, who sang the much-covered 1986 single Don't Dream It's Over by Australian rock band Crowded House. She also performed her original song Kept Me Alive, accompanied by Jackson Ledbetter (cajon), Eduardo Chocron (violin), Adam Schwartz (guitar), and Vance Spina (guitar). She released her first EP, Everything I Am, in 2022, and is planning to release new music later this year.

Related Categories

News

Most Popular

The Berklee Indian Ensemble

Image by Holy Smoke Photography

Berklee Indian Ensemble Presents BIE Live: The Shuruaat Tour The 15-city U.S. tour will kick off on March 10 at the Berklee Performance Center.

Latest

Image courtesy of Taijee Shavers

Student Spotlight: Taijee Shavers The baritone saxophonist explains how time in nature improves his sound design work, shouts out his Black Scholars Initiative mentor, and digs into a Doja Cat sample.

Image courtesy of Riley Finkle

Student Spotlight: Riley Finkle The music production and engineering major discusses her immersive audio and video productions, her collaboration with Harvards Immersive Media Lab, and her upcoming L.A. internship.

February Performers in Berklee's Two Track Series Celebrate Empowerment The popular YouTube series features students performing original music and sharing ideas around a central theme.

Read All

Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
LINK: https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/february-performers-in-berkle...
See more stories from berklee

More from Berklee

11/05/2025

Berklee Honors Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles at 2025 Commencement

Berklee Honors Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles at 2025 Commencement This years honorary doctorate recipients were recognized for their profound influence as art...

10/05/2025

Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2025

Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2025 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next. ...

09/05/2025

Berklee Online Signs Transfer Articulation with Conservatorio Nacional de Msica

Berklee Online Signs Transfer Articulation with Conservatorio Nacional de M sica The new agreement allows CNM students in the Dominican Republic to transfer i...

09/05/2025

Berklee Popular Music Institute Announces UK Festival Debut and Tour Dates

Berklee Popular Music Institute Announces UK Festival Debut and Tour Dates For the first time, BPMI will bring Berklee-affiliated artists and students to the ...

08/05/2025

Student Spotlight: Grigori Balasanyan

Student Spotlight: Grigori Balasanyan The Armenian composer, who was named Boston Conservatory at Berklees 2025 student commencement speaker, talks about his ...

02/05/2025

Students, Alumni, and Faculty Represent Berklee at International Computer Music Conference

Students, Alumni, and Faculty Represent Berklee at International Computer Music ...

02/05/2025

Four Boston Conservatory Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards

Four Boston Conservatory Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards Fifteen alumni from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music contributed to nomin...

30/04/2025

Tania Len and Kelli O'Hara to be Honored at Boston Conservatory at Berklee's Commencement Ceremony

Tania Le n and Kelli O'Hara to be Honored at Boston Conservatory at Berklee&...

30/04/2025

Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee College of Music 2025 Commencement

Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee College ...

25/04/2025

Listen to Kim Perlak and Francisco Mela's New Album, Recorded in a Single Afternoon

Listen to Kim Perlak and Francisco Mela's New Album, Recorded in a Single Af...

24/04/2025

Berklee in Puerto Rico Program to Host 30th Anniversary Concert

Berklee in Puerto Rico Program to Host 30th Anniversary Concert The event will feature Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning artist Miguel Zen n BM '98, cuatro...

24/04/2025

Detach Yourself from the Herd': Fito Pez Inspires at Berklee

Detach Yourself from the Herd': Fito P ez Inspires at Berklee In a session hosted by the Mediterranean Music Institute, the influential Argentine musician...

23/04/2025

Berklee Abu Dhabi's Jazz Night Kicks off Global Celebration of Music and Culture

Berklee Abu Dhabi's Jazz Night Kicks off Global Celebration of Music and Cul...

19/04/2025

Berklee NYC and NYC Media Launch Season 3 of Inside Power Station @BerkleeNYC

Berklee NYC and NYC Media Launch Season 3 of Inside Power Station @BerkleeNYC This season features faculty member Arun Pandian as the new host and interviews ...

18/04/2025

Berklee Student Yukai Yang Named 2025 Yamaha Young Performing Artist

Berklee Student Yukai Yang Named 2025 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The drummer secured a spot among the elite winners in this years competition. By Maddie...

18/04/2025

Boston Conservatory Alums Bring Real Women Have Curves to Broadway

Boston Conservatory Alums Bring Real Women Have Curves to Broadway The Latin American immigrant community takes center stage in a new musical featuring Tatian...

17/04/2025

In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward

In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward From mood boards to live demos, the alumni band gave students an exclusive look at the process behin...

17/04/2025

Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Lewis has more than 20 years of industry experience, leading fundraising initiati...

16/04/2025

Charlie Puths Homecoming Was Also a Victory Lap

Charlie Puths Homecoming Was Also a Victory Lap The pop star, songwriter, and producer talked about his career and shared stories behind his biggest hits, inc...

12/04/2025

Career Jam 2025: Insights, Images, and Inspiration

Career Jam 2025: Insights, Images, and Inspiration Charlie Puth, Tiny Desk, top A&Rs, and more came together for a day of professional development and energet...

11/04/2025

Electronic Music Genres: A Guide to the Most Influential Styles

Electronic Music Genres: A Guide to the Most Influential Styles Discover some of the many types of electronic music and how they've shaped contemporary mu...

05/04/2025

Students to Perform with Earl Slick in David Bowie Tribute Concert

Students to Perform with Earl Slick in David Bowie Tribute Concert Known for his work with Bowie and John Lennon, the influential guitarist will also visit cl...

04/04/2025

Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Beloved Works and World Premieres at Spring Dance Concert: Limitless

Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Beloved Works and World Premieres at S...

03/04/2025

Berklee's Ty-Juana L. Flores Appointed Board Chair of the Boston Cultural Council

Berklee's Ty-Juana L. Flores Appointed Board Chair of the Boston Cultural Co...

03/04/2025

Berklee's South Asian Scholar Association to Host All-Ages Concert

Berklee's South Asian Scholar Association to Host All-Ages Concert The student-led event, Mehfil, will feature songs in eight different languages and blen...

03/04/2025

Berklee Announces Paul Dworkis as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Berklee Announces Paul Dworkis as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial O...

02/04/2025

Music Therapy Students Awarded First Internship Stipend from Children's Music Fund

Music Therapy Students Awarded First Internship Stipend from Children's Musi...

28/03/2025

Student Spotlight: Ava Della Pietra

Student Spotlight: Ava Della Pietra The singer-songwriter enrolled in the Harvard-Berklee Joint Studies Program talks about her love of medicine and music, ov...

28/03/2025

Berklee's Africana Studies to Host Gospel Extravaganza 2025

Berklee's Africana Studies to Host Gospel Extravaganza 2025 The Signature Series event will celebrate over 40 years of gospel music at Berklee. By Colet...

28/03/2025

Berklee Online CEO Debbie Cavalier Recognized for Extraordinary Leadership

Berklee Online CEO Debbie Cavalier Recognized for Extraordinary Leadership Cavalier receives the rare Julius M. Nolte Award from UPCEA. By Colette Greenstein ...

26/03/2025

New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2025 Next Jazz Legacy Cohort

New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2025 Nex...

22/03/2025

Antonio Snchez, Bla Fleck, and Edmar Castaeda Push Boundaries on BEATrio

Antonio S nchez, B la Fleck, and Edmar Casta eda Push Boundaries on BEATrio The trio's debut album drops May 16, but you can hear the first single, Archi...

21/03/2025

Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern

Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern The Berklee professor's immersive installation transports visitors to Matanzas...

21/03/2025

Berklee to Host Annual Jazz Composition Festival

Berklee to Host Annual Jazz Composition Festival Performances will feature modern jazz masters Sean Jones, Ayn Inserto, Miguel Zen n BM '98, and Christine...

21/03/2025

PARADEs National Tour Is a Procession of Boston Conservatory Talent

PARADEs National Tour Is a Procession of Boston Conservatory Talent Michael Tacconi BFA '12 and fifth-semester musical theater major Olivia Goosman talk a...

21/03/2025

Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate Modern's East Tank

Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate...

21/03/2025

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Natasha, ...

20/03/2025

Berklee's Trailblazing Music Inclusion Ensemble Debuts at Berklee Performance Center

Berklee's Trailblazing Music Inclusion Ensemble Debuts at Berklee Performanc...

19/03/2025

Music Marketing: 5 Proven Strategies to Engage and Grow Your Fanbase

Music Marketing: 5 Proven Strategies to Engage and Grow Your Fanbase Find out how you can get your work in front of more people with these music marketing str...

19/03/2025

Watch Berklee Valencia Alum Wow the American Idol Judges with an Otis Redding Song

Watch Berklee Valencia Alum Wow the American Idol Judges with an Otis Redding So...

17/03/2025

BPMI Presents 2025 Festival Artists at 23rd Annual Showcase

BPMI Presents 2025 Festival Artists at 23rd Annual Showcase The Berklee Popular Music Institute will showcase eight artists performing at this summer's ho...

15/03/2025

Student Spotlight: Rachel McFarlane

Student Spotlight: Rachel McFarlane The Canadian composer talks about being drawn to the storytelling power of scoring for film and video games, working with ...

14/03/2025

Singaporean singer-songwriter JJ Lin on Craft, Courage, and Creativity

Singaporean Singer-Songwriter JJ Lin on Craft, Courage, and Creativity The artist shared candid insights into his musical evolution, personal challenges, and ...

13/03/2025

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice

Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions. ...

12/03/2025

Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations

Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits. By Madd...

11/03/2025

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B In The Quiet Storm, Berklee Online alumnus Amani Roberts explores how the radio format defined America...

11/03/2025

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering The Signature Series concert will feature performances by all nine of the instit...

10/03/2025

Berklee and FIFA World Cup 26 Debut Official Boston Host City Theme

Berklee and FIFA World Cup 26 Debut Official Boston Host City Theme Boston is the only host city to work with an educational institution to create its unique,...

06/03/2025

Boston Calling and Berklee Partner to Showcase Student Talent

Boston Calling and Berklee Partner to Showcase Student Talent When Boston Calling comes to Allston this May, student performers will light up the festival'...

06/03/2025

Building a Home Studio? Start Here.

Building a Home Studio? Start Here. Berklee professors and alumni break down the basics of setting up your home music studio, and share tips on how to get the...