Berklee today

JAN 2013

Berklee today is the official alumni publication of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a forum for contemporary music and musicians.

Issue link: http://berkleetoday.epubxp.com/i/106074

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Photo courtesy of Jeehoon Chong Keepers of the Flame During an October visit, President Roger H. Brown, members of the Berklee admissions team, and Berklee today managing editor Mark Small were graciously welcomed to Seoul. The Berklee Alumni Association of Korea, under the leadership of the group's president Choi, Sung-soo '00, with assistance from Inkoo Yeo '99 and others, hosted an alumni reunion that attracted some 130 alumni for a reception and dinner. The evening also included impromptu performances by Choi (vocals) and Cho, Yoonseung '00 (piano). President Brown presented alumni achievement awards to Grammy-winning recording engineer Hwang, Beyongjoon '99, pioneering music educator and composer Kim, Dong-sung '85, and singer Psy '00 (who was in absentia). Seoul Jazz Academy (SJA), a member school of the Berklee International Network (BIN), also rolled out the red carpet, offering its facilities to Berklee's auditions and interview team. Since joining BIN in 1998, SJA has hosted Berklee auditions and a number of Berklee alumni serve on the SJA faculty. Berklee transfers credits for SJA students completing coursework comparable to Berklee's. During the past eight years, nearly 100 students have transferred from SJA to Berklee to continue their studies. SJA is a strategic partner in the region under the leadership of its new president, Kim, Chang-ho. 18 Berklee today From the left: Jeehoon Chong '06, Eunmi Seo '06, Grace Oh '06, and Jang, Young-chan '05 Hwang does a range of freelance projects at his own studio, frequently with Berklee alumni. "Lots of Berklee people have been very successful in the music scene here," he says. "It's fun working with them. There's a great synergy." I met Hwang at an October Seoul Berklee alumni gathering, and he was excited to introduce me to his former classmate, Kio Chang '99, who has enjoyed a spectacular career as a hit songwriter, bassist, singer, and more. Among other things, Chang has served as a chief consultant to the singers onthe TV show I Am a Singer. Chang called upon Hwang to master his latest jazzinfused album, Chagall Out of Town 2. "To date, I've mastered about 2,000 albums and recorded or mixed a few hundred more," Hwang says. He also worked on the soundtrack for the now-classic Korean film Gwanghae. His newest venture was founding a record label. "It's focused on authentic Korean traditional music and some new music based on traditional music," Hwang says. He's released three surroundsound super-audio CDs to date. "I want to preserve the authentic sound of Korea with as natural a sound as is possible and share it with people around the world." Shaping Future K-Pop Careers While only in his early 30s, Jang, Young-chan '05 has hit the ground running in a career bridging K-pop and music education. An accomplished songwriter, Jang has written songs for major K-pop artists, including Rain and Hyori Lee, and composed music for Korean TV dramas. While serving his mandatory two years in the Korean army, he wrote an official army song. Titled "Overcoming Myself" (sung by K-pop vocal star and fellow soldier Park, Hyo -shin), the tune offered Jang a chance to serve his country through music. After graduating from Berklee, Jang was anxious to share his knowledge. In 2006, he began teaching music at home to 10 young students. "After I got back to Korea, I really wanted to help the young generation learn," he says. The effort grew, and in 2009, Jang received government certification to operate Seoul Music High School (SMHS) as an official, nonprofit institution. Enrollment tops 150 students now, with young musicians drawn primarily from Seoul, but also includes one from Japan and another from North Korea. The school received a publicity boost after becoming the model for a popular primetime Korean TV show Dream High (similar to the American show Glee). "People now think of our school as Dream High," Jang says. "It's gotten harder to get in. We accept one out of every 10 that apply." Among his 42 faculty members, Jang has brought three Berklee alumni aboard as deans. They include "Grace" Hey, Sukoh '06, the dean of composition. She majored in contemporary writing and production at Berklee, and in addition to teaching, she writes instrumental music for TV, radio commercials, and more. Eunmi Seo '06, dean of piano, played classical music and contemporary gospel tunes at her church as a youth and came to Berklee to pursue jazz. "Ryan" Jeehoon Chong '06 is the dean of MIDI production. A film scoring major at Berklee, he coaches SMHS students on making beats and actively pursues composing gigs after hours. Alumnus Tim Lee '04 helped establish the school in its early years and has since worked as the director of education planning at Seoul's M Academy. In addition to music, SMHS students take academic courses in math, science, history, English, and physical education, and receive a diploma at graduation. During our visit, President Brown and I were treated to a concert by some impressive student musicians and a tour of the school's recording studio and classrooms. Some SMHS alumni are already succeeding in K-pop, including the r&b; boy band Shinee. With K-pop's appetite for young teen stars, Jang is poised to offer his students and the industry what they need. "I am an educator but also a producer," Jang says. "I give students opportunities to assist me on some sessions. When I produced Rain, I had students singing on the song's chorus. Student arrangers have also helped with my music for TV dramas." Jang's future plans include establishing a production company and a record label to enable students to release their own music. Jang's efforts at SMHS also involve a humanitarian component. "We do fundraising for scholarships to help those who want to attend but can't afford the tuition," Jang says. "We have one student here from North Korea. He escaped to the south and had no money, but we made a way for him to get support. We thought it was important for him to have a chance for a better life after all he'd been through." Conclusion Korean musicians are finding their place on the world stage as Seoul becomes a key cultural center in Asia. While I met many high-achieving alumni during this visit to Seoul, schedules did not permit meeting other rising stars—including Bom Park '08 of the group 2NE1. The trip confirmed that Berklee's Korean alumni are making a significant impact in their country. They take pride in being educated musicians and hold out the promise that solid musicianship and other relevant skills will undergird their nation's contemporary music for years to come.

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