On November 3rd, a special music event took place at CJ Azit Gwangheungchang in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The ‘2024 CJ X Berklee Masterclass’ offered an unforgettable experience to young participants. Professors Sharik Hasan and Claire Lim from Berklee College of Music provided stage feedback and hands-on experience with Electronic Digital Instruments (EDI) to the students.
The participating students performed their original compositions, showcasing passion and creativity despite their nerves. Professor Hasan carefully observed the performances and offered detailed advice on aspects like bass dynamics and using a metronome during drum performances. The students eagerly embraced this feedback, enhancing the quality of their music. Professor Claire Lim introduced EDI to the students, opening new musical possibilities.
The masterclass was part of a partnership between the CJ Cultural Foundation and Berklee College of Music that has been ongoing since 2011. Berklee College of Music visits over 40 countries annually to select new students through auditions, and for this event, jazz pianist Sharik Hasan from India and electronic musician Claire Lim from Singapore visited Korea.
Both professors were impressed by the flexibility and open-mindedness of the Korean students they met. Professor Hasan praised the students for their excellence in both technique and theory, noting that their musical flexibility aligns with the characteristics of K-pop, which blends various genres. The professors defined K-pop as a style that harmoniously brings together diverse musical elements, adding that K-pop’s global influence is bringing changes to Berklee’s music education.
Professor Lim expressed great interest in Korean students bringing K-pop to Boston, mentioning that there are many non-Korean students eager to produce K-pop songs. She emphasized that Berklee students’ willingness to explore diverse genres is a change made possible by K-pop’s genre-blending nature.
Finally, the professors mentioned the collaboration between BLACKPINK Rosé and Bruno Mars as an example of global collaboration, suggesting such collaborations hint at the future of popular music. They expressed hope for more collaborations like this, anticipating the further development of music. This kind of cross-border musical exchange is expected to give birth to new genres in the future.
