Berklee’s Valencia Campus Collaborates with MIT Technology Review Magazine for EmTech España 2014

November 6, 2014

Stephen Webber performs with the Scratch Ambassadors at EmTech España 2013.

Berklee is collaborating with the Spanish edition of the prestigious MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Technology Review magazine for EmTech España 2014 to be held for the second consecutive year at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, on November 12-13, 2014. Berklee faculty and students from the master's degree program in music production, technology, and innovation at the Valencia campus will be playing an active role in the event, sharing the latest innovations and technologies in music.

“Emtech is the world leading conference for showcasing emerging technologies with the greatest potential to change our lives,” explained Stephen Webber, director of the master's degree program in music production, technology, and innovation at Berklee’s Valencia campus. “As such, we are both delighted and excited about our collaboration with EmTech-Opinno for EmTech España 2014, not only for the prestige of being part of the event, but also for the opportunity to showcase the cutting edge developments in music that our master's students are achieving through the application of technology to music.”

Berklee’s participation at EmTech España 2014 will include:

A keynote by Stephen Webber in conjunction with Nona Hendryx, ambassador for artistry in music at Berklee College of Music, called: Turntables and Tutus: Exploring Unconventional Musical Instruments and Wearable Technology
chewBACHa - An in depth exploration of the dark and light side of the force – including a music, special effects, and video elements. This performance by Berklee students in the master's degree program in scoring for film, television and video games – and specialists in music for cinema - will form part of the Science Fiction Panel celebrating the 45th Anniversary of Man’s arrival on the moon.

Masters students in this year’s music production, technology, and innovation program will also be conducting various performances and demonstrations, including:

Robotics at Play – a visual and musical performance by Berklee master's students.
Drones over Valencia – a performance of robotics and music (Chapman Stick) by Berklee master's students.
Berklee Innovation Lab @ EmTech will engage participants in on-going interactive music projects through live technology performances and hands-on demonstrations on the convention floor throughout the two-day event.
Closing concert performance featuring the Berklee College of Music Scratch Ambassadors, a band formed by Berklee master’s students - led by Webber, and composed of accomplished musicians from around the world who come together to mix their cultures and talents to produce groundbreaking music. Incarnations of this group have toured China, Europe, the U.S. and Central America, bringing audiences to their feet to dance to music that has never been imagined.

EmTech is the world’s leading conference on emerging technologies and an opportunity to glimpse the future and begin to understand the technologies that matter and how they’ll change the face of business and drive the new global economy. EmTech España is the meeting point where technology, business, and culture converge to showcase the most cutting-edge technological advances – in medicine, robotics, electronic materials and renewable energy – and to meet the researchers, scientists, academics, entrepreneurs, businessmen and investors working on them.

Now in its second year, Berklee College of Music’s master's degree program in music production, technology, and innovation was launched in September 2013 at the Valencia campus. This intensive one-year program is designed to offer musicians and composers an unparalleled opportunity to explore new artistic directions using innovations in music, technology, and application of technology to music to prepare them to succeed in the music world of today. There are currently 38 students from various countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, France, Nigeria, Spain and the US, attending the program this year.

Watch the summary of last year's edition: