23-05-2025
Berklee students showcase their musical talents at Boston Calling's special stage
Berklee College of Music has a history of showing up and showing out at Boston Calling. Now current students are getting their own stage.
The arena is being revived as a jazz lounge. For freshman Su Yavuz, a seasoned performer here in Boston, it's a stage she's never seen before.
"I was, of course, like shocked," said Yavuz. "Like this is amazing and surreal, especially right now I'm a freshman at Berklee and as a freshman to be doing this, just feels so surreal."
Bringing variety of music to jazz lounge
Yavuz said she'll be bringing a variety of genres to all three days of the festival.
"Kendrick, Dochii, I like to mix it up and play instrumentals, get influences and providing the rap picks, kinda like stuff like that, which is really interesting, but really fun to play," said Yavuz.
She won't be alone, Manuela Sanchez Goubert is also ready to show what she can do.
"It feels like a reaffirmation of all the work that I've been doing throughout my career," said Goubert. "I think a lot of the time as artists, we feel like our work is kind of going into the emptiness and it's like not seen by anybody, but when things like this come, it's like a reassurance that I'm on the right path, that the work that I'm doing counts for something and that I'm making a difference with music."
Only seven selected out of more than 100
That work is what set them apart during the initial search for talent. Just seven students were selected out of more than 100 applications.
"What made these individuals stand out is a little bit, I guess, diversity and genre. Berklee has a lot to offer as far as from the people who come here," said Michael Borgida, director of concert and video production at Berklee.
Each brings their own unique blend of sound and style.
"We have Latin jazz, as you heard," said Borgida. "And then there's some soul music and R&B in there as well with jazz. So I think diversity, professionalism, and just having worked with some of these people before, I knew that they would be great fits."
Now, their names will fit right into Boston Calling history.
"I just love music festivals," says performer Tiril Jackson. "It's summer, everyone's having a good time. We're all gathered listening to music. It's just like the best."
Last year, Berklee alum Kieran Rhodes rocked the Blue Stage just one week after graduating. This year, fellow alumni and indie-pop band Lucius is on the bill.
