Donner Holds Symposium at Berklee College of Music, Supporting Music Education

Berklee College of Music faculty discuss technology in music during the Nov. 12 symposium

Donner hosted an afternoon-long event in Boston on Nov. 17 that featured a concert and symposium on Musicianship & Technology with Berklee College of Music faculty.

The free, pop-up event started with a concert/jam session before heading into a symposium on Musicianship & Technology, featuring several Berklee School of Music faculty, including drummer Mark Walker, bassist Oscar Stagnaro, pianist Nando Michelin, multi-instrumentalist Yuki Kanesaka, producer John Escobar and guitarist Claudio Ragazzi.

Following the symposium, Nevin Domer, Donner Branding Representative and founder of Genjing Records, gave a presentation on why Donner had chosen to partner with Berklee — from previous online courses to this symposium.

“It was inspiring to see the Berklee students playing Donner instruments on stage, trading licks with their professors, and hearing their questions during the Q&A. It’s a long road to mastering an instrument, and musical study is a lifelong journey,” Domer said “I’m proud Donner can support the education industry, and I believe our partnership with Berklee School of Music will contribute to the next generation of musical talent. Several students approached me after the event to say thanks for the prizes they had won and the event itself. I believe Donner’s partnership with Berklee can inspire us to discover innovative methods for teaching music, lower the barriers to entry, and provide students with new ways to approach the learning process.”

During the symposium, faculty discussed a range of topics, including how they found their love of music, how they incorporate technology into their music creation and the role artificial intelligence could potentially play in music of the future.

“I oftentimes tell my students that we’re using technology for arts creation and not for technologies sake,” said Mark Walker, Grammy Award–winning percussionist during the symposium. “[Technology is] always in service of how can I make music with it versus learning the button or the fader.”

The event concluded with a free raffle where attendees could win one of Donner’s latest products, including the DTC-100 electric guitar, DPB-510S bass, DJP-1000 Semi Hollow Jazz Guitar, Starry Series Midi Keyboard and Pad Controller, as well as the brand-new Arena2000 pedal, an affordably priced, high-quality multi-fxprocessor.

Through its products, which focus on innovative technological advancements, Donner helps musicians develop their own unique musicianship and aids them in the creative process. Partnering with Berklee for this event is just one way that Donner is working to support music education. The company plans to host similar events in the future and continue to make music more accessible to music makers through its technology.

For more information, visit donnermusic.com.