November 2, 2024 • 27 mins
Krystal Banfield and Misael Martinez of Berklee College of Music discuss Berklee’s unwavering commitment to cultural, artistic, and educational development to leverage the power of contemporary music and enable youth from underserved communities to develop musically, academically, socially, and emotionally.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to What's at Risk. I'm Mike Christian. Doctor
Crystal Banfield oversees Berkeley City Music's programming as well as
establishing strategies to achieve its mission to become the world's
leading creative youth development program in contemporary music, dance, musical theater, entrepreneurship,
(00:29):
and music production, with a passionate commitment to excellence in
the arts. As a published educator, a concert singer, and
an award winning community and youth arts advocate, Banfield has
more than thirty years as an executive in higher education administration,
nonprofit arts management and instruction. Miselle Martinez has over twenty
(00:53):
six years of experience in the youth development field. He
currently serves on the President's Council at Berkeley College of Music,
in addition to his role as Assistant Vice President of
Social Entrepreneurship and Creative Youth Development. Martinez is responsible for
the development and success of Berkeley City Music's creative youth development,
(01:16):
including programming across performing arts, entrepreneurship, technology production, summer scholarships,
and initiatives supporting the holistic development of youth and pathways
to college. Our guests today are doctor Crystal Banfield, Berkeley
(01:36):
College of Music's Vice president for Education, Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship.
M Missal Martinez, Berkeley's assistant vice president for Social Entrepreneurship
and Creative Development. How are you both doing?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Great, Yeah, doing great well.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Thank you very much for joining us. We're looking forward
to talking to you about the good work that you're
in the community. Maybe a good spot to start would
be for each of we just talk a little bit
about your own backgrounds.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Sure, I'll jump in. Yes, my name is Crystal. I'm
a musician and a music educator. I have been working
to empower young people. I'd say probably most of my life.
I'd always wanted to be in a space to be
able to both reform to expire. I grew up playing
(02:28):
violin and all of the urban youth groups and everything,
but also I am a concert singer. So this was
something that was always near and dear to my heart,
and I pursued it in the communities that I grew
up in and then professionally. So it's been so rewarding
and part of my purpose and being here. I'm in
(02:50):
my eighteenth year at Berkeley with this building, the Berkeley
City music program where I've been so honored to work
with Nissa Yel and to work with countless others across
the country, but also keeping the kids and the teachers
at the center of all that we do. So it's
(03:11):
been us through.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
How are My name is Missael Martinez. I have to
do a little bit with my background. I'm from the
Dominican Republic. I have been born and raised in New York,
had the privilege of being raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and
have the amazing opportunity to be now living in Boston
as I am now as an assistant vice president at
(03:34):
Berkeley College of Music under the amazing leadership of Crystal
Prime Bamfield. And we've been working together now for over
eleven years and it has been one of my most
rewarding experience as a professional but also in my walk
as a human on this earth.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Now, if I read the mission of the President's Office
of Education, Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship, it's to support the
college and its commitment to cultural, artistic and educational development
through partnerships, programming, scholarships, and public service through music. That's
a mouthful. Maybe you guys can just give us a
little bit of color around what that mission is.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Sure, well, you know, the institution is really about the
music of the day, and as in the founding fathers,
if you will, were all about music and the impact
of music and also the owners to take care of
local community in that, but also the importance of where
(04:36):
the music, the origins of the music. So the music
that started at the institution popular music of the day
was jazz and all the historically that's come out of
African American experience and so being able to you know,
engage with the communities from which it's come, but also
(04:58):
to ensure all the lovers music where music is a
voice of the people. We're talking about contemporary popular music
fast forward to today. There's all kinds of music genre
and it's critical to who we are as an institution
to be engaged in multiple ways to continue to thrive.
(05:20):
There's reciprocity in that, and it's all you know, having
the arts at the center of it, performing creative performing
arts at the center of it, and what all that means,
you know that what comes with that to ensure that.
So my office or our area, i should say, not
only is responsible to the largest effort, which is Berkeley
(05:44):
City Music but also ensuring that there's collaboration, facilitation of
opportunities as they come, but also to make sure that
we're stirring the pot, if you will, in different places
to keep that energy going going, and keeping opportunity for
engagement going, because we all grow in this together when
(06:05):
you take care of the communities internally and externally.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, for sure, Michille. Did you want to add anything
to that.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Yeah, I think doctor Banfield did an amazing job. I'm
speaking about the overview. I think that to speak to
the heart of what we do. I think that the
intersection between community educators and music being the interconnection is
really one of the things that we value the most
because we understand very clearly that, especially in times like today,
we understand the power of music, and we understand it
(06:38):
being a universal language, and we also understand that it
also can be a bridge. And I think this program
creates a bridge to create access points to a certain
community where some of the bridges might not be there
and that need to be built, and some of the
places where it just needs to be reinforced and connected.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And I think the power comes to the music and.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
To the students that we serve and the College of
phenomenal job with making sure that that's the priority.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Now I've talked to other people at Berkeley down through
the last couple of years. It's always about community outreach,
and it's always about focusing on youth. Where does that
come from? Has that been part of the legacy and
in the culture of Berkeley for many many years? It
seems like it has.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I think that I think it's in the core of
the mission and of the of the school and of
the power. You know that the school is formed and
based off of the African diaspora and making sure that
connection and music and sound is.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Something that is definitely present.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
But I also know that we're looking at the landscape
of the world and I right now I'm in an
airport on my way to a site, and every city
that I go to there's a lunger students that I
have to reach out to, that are calling me, that
are seeing through social media. And it's kind of beautiful
to know that the global touch that the institution had
in a way that not only does it bring people
(07:59):
into our community, but it brings us into other community
and it just makes us one community. And I think
that that's part of what music does, and that's what
the institution, and I should say the arts, because the
institution does more than just music, but the arts as
a whole really encompasses the spirit of what I think
what Berkeley was founded on.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, and I'll just add to that. It's also made
evident the founder, Lawrence Burke, helped to found the Roland
Hayes School of Music, which is part of the Boston
Public Schools. Then Lee Burke helped to found the Boston
Arts Academy, of which we're involved, still deeply involved with
(08:39):
both schools, and then through Roger we had the opportunity
to really build and expand the city music program. So
that's always been so deeply rooted in what it is
we do. We of course now also with the Boston Conservatory,
they have a very long history of engagement. And actually
(09:00):
it was the Boston Conservatory and Berkeley, along with a
few other institutions, that helped to found the Boston Arts Academy.
So all the work is a natural fit and framed
just as Mesiel said, really speaks to the mission and
living it wholly.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Now, I'll just throw a couple of stats out to
students highly engaged in the arts and music are four
times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement that
comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, and participation
in the arts and music helps youth develop social and
emotional skills, including teamwork, empathy, and self expression. Do you
(09:43):
have thoughts about that?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Absolutely, it does that and that much more. Like I said,
I've been here for many, many years and was brigaged
even in my early years to meet me Syel who
brings an expertise and youth development and putting the two together,
we still use the phrase creative youth development. It does,
(10:09):
you know, the arts do all of that certainly raises
the academic achievement the discipline. We like to also focus
on how it develops the person as a whole. Going
through the pandemic. One of the elements or one of
one of the experiences I would say that we all
had was we have an online web portal called Berkeley Pulse.
(10:31):
We were able to connect through that and continue to
have all of the courses and these, having the opportunity
to have our young people to be engaged to create music,
peer to peer support, all of that created a lot
of resilience, you know, and again michellel can speak more
(10:52):
to this, but the idea of developing persons so that
their whole but that they have you know, purpose in
that and being able to express oneself in all kinds
of music, but to include and especially their own music,
is something that does even more to elevate that person
(11:13):
in their experience. And also the leadership qualities come from
that and responsibility to others. There's any number of achievements
that come out of that. Mesay all you could speak intuit.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
I don't think I could be more eloquent than you,
but I do know that for sure that one of
the things that Berkeley College does that I take great
pride in is that in my twenty sixth year of
being in education and being in the nonprofit sector, I
just don't haven't seen any other institution personally that immerses
it with a real experience for students to explore before
(11:49):
entering the college. I've been saying this for eleven years
and I'm still saying it. The way that these students
from high school and in middle school get opportunities to
come into either five week or do scholarship program to
see what the campus is and to be with professionals
and practitioners from the institution in real time before making
a decision to enter their college. Is something that that
(12:11):
in itself is so valuable to community and keeps the
art alive. And if the students decide to take any
other career choice, they have that in their toolbox of
having the opportunity to understand the power of music. And
I take great pride of being part of Berkeley because
of such things.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
And I know that the network that we've created around.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
The world also takes great pride because they know that
they're part of such a unique collective.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
How do you actually work in the community because you
focus on a part of it at least I think
the Berkeley City Music is focused on young people high
school age, maybe even younger. What's often terms just underserved communities.
What's some specific things that Berkeley does and your program does.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I could speak on that. I would call it like
a staffling effect. Think when you look at the local community,
some of what we do is we're involved any marks
within the public schools, and we're looking at ways to
make sure that music educators are not replaced and that
we can get in there and reinforce them so they
could do a more robust cope of work, and so
we have music artists that go into the schools and
(13:20):
work in Berkeley, professionals that go in to reinforce what's
happening in the classrooms.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
We look at.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Community organizations across the city locally, and we look at
creating them pathways so that they could be able to
offer scholarships and be able to look at ways so
that they can get reinforcement to what they're offering in
their nonprofits. And now we offer programs for students even
up into third grade that can be with us all
the way to eighth grade to then transition into a
(13:46):
high school program. That's just phenomenal. But we're doing that
in other communities and other communities. We're going out outside
of Boston and looking and researching and looking at what
work is happening in different cultures in different areas of
the world, and then offering some resources from what we
have and looking at pedadology that have been developed in
the institution and then translating it, doing professional development of it,
(14:09):
and then creating a place where they can all come
together and look at each other as a resource.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
It's great and so Berkeley, it locally is a Berkeley
professors and instructors and teachers that go to the various schools,
how do you actually do it?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
From Berkeley's perspective, it's always been the commitment of Berkeley
faculty who want to engage their experts in what they do.
But there's also this feeling of apprenticeship mentorship. But there's
also in it too just looking again at being rooted
in jazz and the African cultural diaspora, it's like a grill,
(14:48):
you know, or when you're looking at roots music, there's
always the just using that term broadly, but the ones
that shepherd, you know, the youngsters, young people in know
knowing all of what it means to come. So yeah,
faculty alum, A number of lumcome and this is their
opportunity to really develop their teaching skills as teaching artists
(15:11):
and then other extraordinary artists we've had over the years
who contributed and participated, and Missaelle's team has extensive training
and all kinds of pedagogical and methods skill development and evaluation,
but the idea is really to come in and provide
the best opportunity for them. We also have We've had
(15:34):
retired music educators over the years. You know, public school teachers,
and we do have some public school teachers as well
that also contribute to shaping the work and keep doing
some of the teaching.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
And you mentioned roots music, and it's interesting to me
because I always think of roots music, folks and roots
music as being also beyond just the musical part. It
also is representative of what our culture is and exhibits
what our history has been. Do you touch on that
with the young people, because I think that part's so important.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It's not only that we touch on it with the
young people, but the young people touch about it with us.
And we know that in education and in learning, it's
always that reciprocity of exchange and empower dynamics, and we
empower our students to teach and educate us. And look
at way, then, since we have all these entry points
that are so early, we have a range of learning
(16:30):
and sharing of culture and understanding of music and impact
of music that I think makes it a really special experience.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
It goes right to what they know. What people know,
and it's important for people to be able to see
themselves in whatever it is that they learn, and that
creates actually an environment for accelerated learning, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
And especially in this time we talked about all the
other areas how music and arts he and help help
young people, particularly all of us, I think to you
maybe express ourselves in different ways, but especially in the
context of all the mental health challenges that we have
in society today. And it's not just adults. It's actually,
(17:16):
you know, very post COVID, it's impacting a lot of
young people too.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
We've done a lot of work about our student centered
approach has been in particularly once we had to hit
that button and change for the pandemic and look at weights,
we were able to do a quick turn around time
so that we could at least get face to faith
contact and make sure that the practitioners and the employee
and all the working artists were still you know, we
were considering them as a whole. And in part of that,
(17:42):
I feel that we were able to partner with some
practitioners that were from music educators and music therapist and
just a whole group of practitioners that allowed us to.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Not only look at what was happening into the world,
but what was.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Happening in our autice, what was happening in their home,
and really have a theory of conversation about how important
it is for us to be together during these time
then what these times can do for the future for
all everyone that has been impacted and everyone that's going
to be talking about this in history. And I agree
with you one thousand percent that it was really important
for the world to understand the power of connectivity. And
(18:17):
I think music also helped shepherd that with for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Now that the Music Network, I was really impressed by
the fact that there's over forty six sites across the
United States and actually in Latin America and Canada, and
sixty thousand students served over this past year. That's pretty impressive.
How do you do that? Is it through the alumni network?
Is a combination of different things? How does that all happen?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Well, I would say that it started organically through alum
some twenty years ago, where they were calling starting to
get jobs. As I like to call them wildflowers because
they're doing There's a garden variety of organizations and community organizations,
drop in centers, public schools that have extended day programs
(19:05):
or tracks within them, and everything in between. But they
would reach out to us, to the institution, to city music,
to the education outreach folks and ask for materials because
they wanted first to teach from their experience and what
they learned from Berkeley, but also to maintain contact with
(19:26):
the institution because of what it represents and the kind
of empowerment that comes in having the support of all
that what comes that we've been talking about around a
pedagogy in contemporary and creative popular musics, performing arts, and
(19:47):
so we have a full structure. We have teams, but
we all take turns in various ways. We all align
and each of the persons that have come through, who
have applied and have been with us for many, many years,
each of the organizations are deeply committed to raising their
their kids and strengthening their their communities and have that
(20:11):
understanding and intimate understanding of what it means to do
it through the arts h and also that it's cultural
place based work, so it's culturally specific to the community.
We've had so much success and as a result, have
had these populations and all of the different partnership sites
now for years, and we also provide scholarships for them
(20:34):
as well.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
No, I think she I think it's a robust, it's
a robust scope of work and and and it is.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
A lot of number of students that we're impacting.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
But it's also a lot of practitioners that we're organizing
and mobilizing to do the work. When looking at those numbers,
then looking at the things that we're doing, I think
is important to say that we run summits every other
year to bring all these practitioners in into a do
a self check, make sure that everybody's doing good all
over on the world, but also to kind of give
resources and opportunity for growth through resources that we either
(21:10):
pick up partnership or vendors that are caring about the
work being done in these communities. And it's a beautiful
way to recharge and refresh what's going on in the field.
But it's also a good way to create community. And
I think community has been really driving force for the
work we do.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
I'll ask you one last question, because all this I'm
sure costs money, and I think this Saturday you're having
your annual gala Amplify Berkeley. Maybe talk a little bit
about that and some of the very special musical guests
you're going to have with that.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Sure, sure, Well, yeah, Amplify Berkeley. We're celebrating thirty years
of Amplify Berkeley. I like to say it's both certainly
a fundraiser where it's something that launched with the program
with City Music, so that we could have dollars to
(22:04):
ensure that, you know, young people that are coming through
the program who've been working hard all all year have
that opportunity, you know, that have scholarships, you know, so
that they can attend the programs, the school of their dreams.
To be able to attend the five week Aspire Performance
(22:27):
Intensive and then also to attend college. We have need
based scholarships so that students, all of whom come through
are so so very talented, have that opportunity to attend school.
But it's a it's a big event, it's festive, a
lot of fun for people who haven't had the opportunity
(22:50):
to go to a Berkeley event. This is Berkeley uh
expanded extraordinary because there are numerous acts UH and it's
structured in a way so that you have this immersive
experience the moment that you walk in the door. Also, UH,
(23:11):
it's a very eclectic audience. We have multiple spaces with
multiple kinds of music, everything from a City Music alumni
band that's going to do some uh contemporary R and
B music to bluegrass, musical theater, salsa. Uh. You know,
(23:32):
we have some reggae music, rock music, we have some
of everything, jazz, all you name it.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
And then also we'll end the night with Jazzy Jeff
DJ Debt Jazzy Jeff. Uh who's going to spend the
night away? Uh And so so everybody can bring the
dancing shoes and we just we just have a blast.
I mean, it's so much fun, great food, and also
it really he lifts up the work of the institution,
(24:03):
work of the program and again shows Berkeley's dedication to
ensuring that everybody has a seat at the table and
the opportunity to study and be able to experience the institution.
And the kids will be featured there as well. Also,
we're going to have a City Music Ambassador, Brian Kennedy,
(24:26):
who's a four time Grammy Award winner, and he was
with us this summer for the Scholarship concert where all
the kids are featured, all the students are featured, the
high school students, and so he'll also be with us
as well.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Yeah, well that's terrific. And how if our listeners want
to get involved and you know, step up after this,
after hearing all the impressive things that you're doing to
help the young people, what could they do.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Hey, we still have some tickets available if they'd like
to attend, but I would just say for more information
to to please be sure to go to the Berkeley site.
Also you can learn more about Berkeley City Music and
that's just Berkeley dot ed U backslash City City Dash music, uh,
(25:17):
and you can you can see it there. But if
you go to our main site, UH, there's there's opportunities
of course to give as well. And you can also
just put in amplify Berkeley and it'll come up immediately.
But it's it's Uh, it's going to be a great
party and something.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Not to miss.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Our guests today have been doctor Crystal Banfield and Miselle
Martinez of Berkeley College of Music. Thank you so much
for the great work you've been doing in the community.
It's really terrific. It's been a pleasure having you.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Thank you, thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Well that's all for this week. I'm Mike Christian inviting
you to join us again next week on What's at Risk.
Also check out our podcast at Wbznewsradio dot iHeart dot com.
What's on your mind? Send us your thoughts, comments, and
questions to What's at Risk at gmail dot com. That's
(26:21):
one word, What's at Risk at gmail dot com. Thank you.
A big thank you to our producer Ken Carberry of
Chart Productions
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Think
Welcome back to What's at Risk. I'm Mike Christian. Doctor
Crystal Banfield oversees Berkeley City Music's programming as well as
establishing strategies to achieve its mission to become the world's
leading creative youth development program in contemporary music, dance, musical theater, entrepreneurship,
(00:29):
and music production, with a passionate commitment to excellence in
the arts. As a published educator, a concert singer, and
an award winning community and youth arts advocate, Banfield has
more than thirty years as an executive in higher education administration,
nonprofit arts management and instruction. Miselle Martinez has over twenty
(00:53):
six years of experience in the youth development field. He
currently serves on the President's Council at Berkeley College of Music,
in addition to his role as Assistant Vice President of
Social Entrepreneurship and Creative Youth Development. Martinez is responsible for
the development and success of Berkeley City Music's creative youth development,
(01:16):
including programming across performing arts, entrepreneurship, technology production, summer scholarships,
and initiatives supporting the holistic development of youth and pathways
to college. Our guests today are doctor Crystal Banfield, Berkeley
(01:36):
College of Music's Vice president for Education, Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship.
M Missal Martinez, Berkeley's assistant vice president for Social Entrepreneurship
and Creative Development. How are you both doing?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Great, Yeah, doing great well.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Thank you very much for joining us. We're looking forward
to talking to you about the good work that you're
in the community. Maybe a good spot to start would
be for each of we just talk a little bit
about your own backgrounds.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Sure, I'll jump in. Yes, my name is Crystal. I'm
a musician and a music educator. I have been working
to empower young people. I'd say probably most of my life.
I'd always wanted to be in a space to be
able to both reform to expire. I grew up playing
(02:28):
violin and all of the urban youth groups and everything,
but also I am a concert singer. So this was
something that was always near and dear to my heart,
and I pursued it in the communities that I grew
up in and then professionally. So it's been so rewarding
and part of my purpose and being here. I'm in
(02:50):
my eighteenth year at Berkeley with this building, the Berkeley
City music program where I've been so honored to work
with Nissa Yel and to work with countless others across
the country, but also keeping the kids and the teachers
at the center of all that we do. So it's
(03:11):
been us through.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
How are My name is Missael Martinez. I have to
do a little bit with my background. I'm from the
Dominican Republic. I have been born and raised in New York,
had the privilege of being raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and
have the amazing opportunity to be now living in Boston
as I am now as an assistant vice president at
(03:34):
Berkeley College of Music under the amazing leadership of Crystal
Prime Bamfield. And we've been working together now for over
eleven years and it has been one of my most
rewarding experience as a professional but also in my walk
as a human on this earth.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Now, if I read the mission of the President's Office
of Education, Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship, it's to support the
college and its commitment to cultural, artistic and educational development
through partnerships, programming, scholarships, and public service through music. That's
a mouthful. Maybe you guys can just give us a
little bit of color around what that mission is.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Sure, well, you know, the institution is really about the
music of the day, and as in the founding fathers,
if you will, were all about music and the impact
of music and also the owners to take care of
local community in that, but also the importance of where
(04:36):
the music, the origins of the music. So the music
that started at the institution popular music of the day
was jazz and all the historically that's come out of
African American experience and so being able to you know,
engage with the communities from which it's come, but also
(04:58):
to ensure all the lovers music where music is a
voice of the people. We're talking about contemporary popular music
fast forward to today. There's all kinds of music genre
and it's critical to who we are as an institution
to be engaged in multiple ways to continue to thrive.
(05:20):
There's reciprocity in that, and it's all you know, having
the arts at the center of it, performing creative performing
arts at the center of it, and what all that means,
you know that what comes with that to ensure that.
So my office or our area, i should say, not
only is responsible to the largest effort, which is Berkeley
(05:44):
City Music but also ensuring that there's collaboration, facilitation of
opportunities as they come, but also to make sure that
we're stirring the pot, if you will, in different places
to keep that energy going going, and keeping opportunity for
engagement going, because we all grow in this together when
(06:05):
you take care of the communities internally and externally.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, for sure, Michille. Did you want to add anything
to that.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Yeah, I think doctor Banfield did an amazing job. I'm
speaking about the overview. I think that to speak to
the heart of what we do. I think that the
intersection between community educators and music being the interconnection is
really one of the things that we value the most
because we understand very clearly that, especially in times like today,
we understand the power of music, and we understand it
(06:38):
being a universal language, and we also understand that it
also can be a bridge. And I think this program
creates a bridge to create access points to a certain
community where some of the bridges might not be there
and that need to be built, and some of the
places where it just needs to be reinforced and connected.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
And I think the power comes to the music and.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
To the students that we serve and the College of
phenomenal job with making sure that that's the priority.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Now I've talked to other people at Berkeley down through
the last couple of years. It's always about community outreach,
and it's always about focusing on youth. Where does that
come from? Has that been part of the legacy and
in the culture of Berkeley for many many years? It
seems like it has.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I think that I think it's in the core of
the mission and of the of the school and of
the power. You know that the school is formed and
based off of the African diaspora and making sure that
connection and music and sound is.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Something that is definitely present.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
But I also know that we're looking at the landscape
of the world and I right now I'm in an
airport on my way to a site, and every city
that I go to there's a lunger students that I
have to reach out to, that are calling me, that
are seeing through social media. And it's kind of beautiful
to know that the global touch that the institution had
in a way that not only does it bring people
(07:59):
into our community, but it brings us into other community
and it just makes us one community. And I think
that that's part of what music does, and that's what
the institution, and I should say the arts, because the
institution does more than just music, but the arts as
a whole really encompasses the spirit of what I think
what Berkeley was founded on.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, and I'll just add to that. It's also made
evident the founder, Lawrence Burke, helped to found the Roland
Hayes School of Music, which is part of the Boston
Public Schools. Then Lee Burke helped to found the Boston
Arts Academy, of which we're involved, still deeply involved with
(08:39):
both schools, and then through Roger we had the opportunity
to really build and expand the city music program. So
that's always been so deeply rooted in what it is
we do. We of course now also with the Boston Conservatory,
they have a very long history of engagement. And actually
(09:00):
it was the Boston Conservatory and Berkeley, along with a
few other institutions, that helped to found the Boston Arts Academy.
So all the work is a natural fit and framed
just as Mesiel said, really speaks to the mission and
living it wholly.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Now, I'll just throw a couple of stats out to
students highly engaged in the arts and music are four
times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement that
comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, and participation
in the arts and music helps youth develop social and
emotional skills, including teamwork, empathy, and self expression. Do you
(09:43):
have thoughts about that?
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Absolutely, it does that and that much more. Like I said,
I've been here for many, many years and was brigaged
even in my early years to meet me Syel who
brings an expertise and youth development and putting the two together,
we still use the phrase creative youth development. It does,
(10:09):
you know, the arts do all of that certainly raises
the academic achievement the discipline. We like to also focus
on how it develops the person as a whole. Going
through the pandemic. One of the elements or one of
one of the experiences I would say that we all
had was we have an online web portal called Berkeley Pulse.
(10:31):
We were able to connect through that and continue to
have all of the courses and these, having the opportunity
to have our young people to be engaged to create music,
peer to peer support, all of that created a lot
of resilience, you know, and again michellel can speak more
(10:52):
to this, but the idea of developing persons so that
their whole but that they have you know, purpose in
that and being able to express oneself in all kinds
of music, but to include and especially their own music,
is something that does even more to elevate that person
(11:13):
in their experience. And also the leadership qualities come from
that and responsibility to others. There's any number of achievements
that come out of that. Mesay all you could speak intuit.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
I don't think I could be more eloquent than you,
but I do know that for sure that one of
the things that Berkeley College does that I take great
pride in is that in my twenty sixth year of
being in education and being in the nonprofit sector, I
just don't haven't seen any other institution personally that immerses
it with a real experience for students to explore before
(11:49):
entering the college. I've been saying this for eleven years
and I'm still saying it. The way that these students
from high school and in middle school get opportunities to
come into either five week or do scholarship program to
see what the campus is and to be with professionals
and practitioners from the institution in real time before making
a decision to enter their college. Is something that that
(12:11):
in itself is so valuable to community and keeps the
art alive. And if the students decide to take any
other career choice, they have that in their toolbox of
having the opportunity to understand the power of music. And
I take great pride of being part of Berkeley because
of such things.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
And I know that the network that we've created around.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
The world also takes great pride because they know that
they're part of such a unique collective.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
How do you actually work in the community because you
focus on a part of it at least I think
the Berkeley City Music is focused on young people high
school age, maybe even younger. What's often terms just underserved communities.
What's some specific things that Berkeley does and your program does.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
I could speak on that. I would call it like
a staffling effect. Think when you look at the local community,
some of what we do is we're involved any marks
within the public schools, and we're looking at ways to
make sure that music educators are not replaced and that
we can get in there and reinforce them so they
could do a more robust cope of work, and so
we have music artists that go into the schools and
(13:20):
work in Berkeley, professionals that go in to reinforce what's
happening in the classrooms.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
We look at.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Community organizations across the city locally, and we look at
creating them pathways so that they could be able to
offer scholarships and be able to look at ways so
that they can get reinforcement to what they're offering in
their nonprofits. And now we offer programs for students even
up into third grade that can be with us all
the way to eighth grade to then transition into a
(13:46):
high school program. That's just phenomenal. But we're doing that
in other communities and other communities. We're going out outside
of Boston and looking and researching and looking at what
work is happening in different cultures in different areas of
the world, and then offering some resources from what we
have and looking at pedadology that have been developed in
the institution and then translating it, doing professional development of it,
(14:09):
and then creating a place where they can all come
together and look at each other as a resource.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
It's great and so Berkeley, it locally is a Berkeley
professors and instructors and teachers that go to the various schools,
how do you actually do it?
Speaker 3 (14:24):
From Berkeley's perspective, it's always been the commitment of Berkeley
faculty who want to engage their experts in what they do.
But there's also this feeling of apprenticeship mentorship. But there's
also in it too just looking again at being rooted
in jazz and the African cultural diaspora, it's like a grill,
(14:48):
you know, or when you're looking at roots music, there's
always the just using that term broadly, but the ones
that shepherd, you know, the youngsters, young people in know
knowing all of what it means to come. So yeah,
faculty alum, A number of lumcome and this is their
opportunity to really develop their teaching skills as teaching artists
(15:11):
and then other extraordinary artists we've had over the years
who contributed and participated, and Missaelle's team has extensive training
and all kinds of pedagogical and methods skill development and evaluation,
but the idea is really to come in and provide
the best opportunity for them. We also have We've had
(15:34):
retired music educators over the years. You know, public school teachers,
and we do have some public school teachers as well
that also contribute to shaping the work and keep doing
some of the teaching.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
And you mentioned roots music, and it's interesting to me
because I always think of roots music, folks and roots
music as being also beyond just the musical part. It
also is representative of what our culture is and exhibits
what our history has been. Do you touch on that
with the young people, because I think that part's so important.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
It's not only that we touch on it with the
young people, but the young people touch about it with us.
And we know that in education and in learning, it's
always that reciprocity of exchange and empower dynamics, and we
empower our students to teach and educate us. And look
at way, then, since we have all these entry points
that are so early, we have a range of learning
(16:30):
and sharing of culture and understanding of music and impact
of music that I think makes it a really special experience.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
It goes right to what they know. What people know,
and it's important for people to be able to see
themselves in whatever it is that they learn, and that
creates actually an environment for accelerated learning, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
And especially in this time we talked about all the
other areas how music and arts he and help help
young people, particularly all of us, I think to you
maybe express ourselves in different ways, but especially in the
context of all the mental health challenges that we have
in society today. And it's not just adults. It's actually,
(17:16):
you know, very post COVID, it's impacting a lot of
young people too.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
We've done a lot of work about our student centered
approach has been in particularly once we had to hit
that button and change for the pandemic and look at weights,
we were able to do a quick turn around time
so that we could at least get face to faith
contact and make sure that the practitioners and the employee
and all the working artists were still you know, we
were considering them as a whole. And in part of that,
(17:42):
I feel that we were able to partner with some
practitioners that were from music educators and music therapist and
just a whole group of practitioners that allowed us to.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Not only look at what was happening into the world,
but what was.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Happening in our autice, what was happening in their home,
and really have a theory of conversation about how important
it is for us to be together during these time
then what these times can do for the future for
all everyone that has been impacted and everyone that's going
to be talking about this in history. And I agree
with you one thousand percent that it was really important
for the world to understand the power of connectivity. And
(18:17):
I think music also helped shepherd that with for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Now that the Music Network, I was really impressed by
the fact that there's over forty six sites across the
United States and actually in Latin America and Canada, and
sixty thousand students served over this past year. That's pretty impressive.
How do you do that? Is it through the alumni network?
Is a combination of different things? How does that all happen?
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Well, I would say that it started organically through alum
some twenty years ago, where they were calling starting to
get jobs. As I like to call them wildflowers because
they're doing There's a garden variety of organizations and community organizations,
drop in centers, public schools that have extended day programs
(19:05):
or tracks within them, and everything in between. But they
would reach out to us, to the institution, to city music,
to the education outreach folks and ask for materials because
they wanted first to teach from their experience and what
they learned from Berkeley, but also to maintain contact with
(19:26):
the institution because of what it represents and the kind
of empowerment that comes in having the support of all
that what comes that we've been talking about around a
pedagogy in contemporary and creative popular musics, performing arts, and
(19:47):
so we have a full structure. We have teams, but
we all take turns in various ways. We all align
and each of the persons that have come through, who
have applied and have been with us for many, many years,
each of the organizations are deeply committed to raising their
their kids and strengthening their their communities and have that
(20:11):
understanding and intimate understanding of what it means to do
it through the arts h and also that it's cultural
place based work, so it's culturally specific to the community.
We've had so much success and as a result, have
had these populations and all of the different partnership sites
now for years, and we also provide scholarships for them
(20:34):
as well.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
No, I think she I think it's a robust, it's
a robust scope of work and and and it is.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
A lot of number of students that we're impacting.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
But it's also a lot of practitioners that we're organizing
and mobilizing to do the work. When looking at those numbers,
then looking at the things that we're doing, I think
is important to say that we run summits every other
year to bring all these practitioners in into a do
a self check, make sure that everybody's doing good all
over on the world, but also to kind of give
resources and opportunity for growth through resources that we either
(21:10):
pick up partnership or vendors that are caring about the
work being done in these communities. And it's a beautiful
way to recharge and refresh what's going on in the field.
But it's also a good way to create community. And
I think community has been really driving force for the
work we do.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
I'll ask you one last question, because all this I'm
sure costs money, and I think this Saturday you're having
your annual gala Amplify Berkeley. Maybe talk a little bit
about that and some of the very special musical guests
you're going to have with that.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Sure, sure, Well, yeah, Amplify Berkeley. We're celebrating thirty years
of Amplify Berkeley. I like to say it's both certainly
a fundraiser where it's something that launched with the program
with City Music, so that we could have dollars to
(22:04):
ensure that, you know, young people that are coming through
the program who've been working hard all all year have
that opportunity, you know, that have scholarships, you know, so
that they can attend the programs, the school of their dreams.
To be able to attend the five week Aspire Performance
(22:27):
Intensive and then also to attend college. We have need
based scholarships so that students, all of whom come through
are so so very talented, have that opportunity to attend school.
But it's a it's a big event, it's festive, a
lot of fun for people who haven't had the opportunity
(22:50):
to go to a Berkeley event. This is Berkeley uh
expanded extraordinary because there are numerous acts UH and it's
structured in a way so that you have this immersive
experience the moment that you walk in the door. Also, UH,
(23:11):
it's a very eclectic audience. We have multiple spaces with
multiple kinds of music, everything from a City Music alumni
band that's going to do some uh contemporary R and
B music to bluegrass, musical theater, salsa. Uh. You know,
(23:32):
we have some reggae music, rock music, we have some
of everything, jazz, all you name it.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
And then also we'll end the night with Jazzy Jeff
DJ Debt Jazzy Jeff. Uh who's going to spend the
night away? Uh And so so everybody can bring the
dancing shoes and we just we just have a blast.
I mean, it's so much fun, great food, and also
it really he lifts up the work of the institution,
(24:03):
work of the program and again shows Berkeley's dedication to
ensuring that everybody has a seat at the table and
the opportunity to study and be able to experience the institution.
And the kids will be featured there as well. Also,
we're going to have a City Music Ambassador, Brian Kennedy,
(24:26):
who's a four time Grammy Award winner, and he was
with us this summer for the Scholarship concert where all
the kids are featured, all the students are featured, the
high school students, and so he'll also be with us
as well.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Yeah, well that's terrific. And how if our listeners want
to get involved and you know, step up after this,
after hearing all the impressive things that you're doing to
help the young people, what could they do.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Hey, we still have some tickets available if they'd like
to attend, but I would just say for more information
to to please be sure to go to the Berkeley site.
Also you can learn more about Berkeley City Music and
that's just Berkeley dot ed U backslash City City Dash music, uh,
(25:17):
and you can you can see it there. But if
you go to our main site, UH, there's there's opportunities
of course to give as well. And you can also
just put in amplify Berkeley and it'll come up immediately.
But it's it's Uh, it's going to be a great
party and something.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Not to miss.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
Our guests today have been doctor Crystal Banfield and Miselle
Martinez of Berkeley College of Music. Thank you so much
for the great work you've been doing in the community.
It's really terrific. It's been a pleasure having you.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Thank you, thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Well that's all for this week. I'm Mike Christian inviting
you to join us again next week on What's at Risk.
Also check out our podcast at Wbznewsradio dot iHeart dot com.
What's on your mind? Send us your thoughts, comments, and
questions to What's at Risk at gmail dot com. That's
(26:21):
one word, What's at Risk at gmail dot com. Thank you.
A big thank you to our producer Ken Carberry of
Chart Productions
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Think
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