Berklee City Music Network Conference Presents “American Popular Music III: Innovations in Youth Development”
By Diana Hereld of Pathways in Music
The fourth annual Berklee City Music Network Conference (BCMN) will take place at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza November 2-5. Geared toward music experts and young enthusiasts alike, this year's forum will brings in hundreds of attendees including music educators, students ranging from elementary to graduate levels, city of Los Angeles representatives, philanthropic foundations and key philanthropists, NARAS and Grammy representatives, arts advocates and families from the LA area.
This year's conference, entitled "American Popular Music III: Innovations in Youth Development" will feature a host of compelling presentations and panel discussions with reference to providing access for quality and diverse music education to students from inadequately served communities across the country.
The event will feature keynotes, roundtable discussions, master classes, networking workshops and more from the likes of former Tonight Show band director Kevin Eubanks, manager/producer Ron Weisner (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Paul McCartney), Myka Miller (Executive Director, Harmony Project) and Grammy-winning R&B legend Bill Withers.
On Sunday, November 2, local youth and their families are invited to come kick off the conference for Youth Power-Up Day. Presented by Berklee and A Place Called Home, this free outdoor festival begins at noon at the California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
The festival will feature performances by singer and guitarist Raul Pacheco of the Grammy-winning group Ozomatli and folk/blues/punk artist Sunny War; a jam session with local youth hosted by Kevin Eubanks; a drum circle hosted by REMO drum makers; plus performances by student ensembles and music resources for local families. Students may apply to participate in the jam session by filling out an online application.
Complete registration information for the conference and concerts, including info on student pricing may be found here. Both three-day and single-day passes are available for purchase.
