{"id":19487,"date":"2023-04-21T15:14:52","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T20:14:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=19487"},"modified":"2026-01-20T17:29:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T22:29:08","slug":"berklee-onlines-class-of-2023-rejoice-in-community-and-perseverance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/berklee-onlines-class-of-2023-rejoice-in-community-and-perseverance\/","title":{"rendered":"Berklee Online\u2019s Class of 2023 Rejoice in Community and Perseverance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-berklee-online-class-of-2023-celebrates-perseverance-community-and-musical-dreams\">Berklee Online Class of 2023 Celebrates Perseverance, Community, and Musical Dreams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On May 13, members of Berklee Online\u2019s class of 2023 will gather in Boston to take part in this year\u2019s Commencement ceremony, alongside Berklee campus students. Each year this milestone brings together Berklee Online students from around the world for a weekend of celebration among graduates, instructors, advisors, and family and friends. The class of 2023 spent the majority of their programs in a Covid-world, embracing the importance of camaraderie and perseverance through their music studies. Read the inspiring stories of seven Berklee Online graduates who reflect on their experiences and share what\u2019s in store for their futures.&nbsp; <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-leon-williams\">Leon Williams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only will Leon Williams walk across the stage at Commencement, but he\u2019ll also perform onstage at the Commencement concert the night prior. Leon is graduating with his bachelor\u2019s degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/interdisciplinary-music-studies-create-your-own-major?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Interdisciplinary Music Studies<\/a>, and is coming to Boston from his home city of Nashville, Tennessee, which played a big role in his musical upbringing with gospel music.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cObviously it\u2019s no secret that country music is very prevalent here [in Nashville], but it also has a very strong gospel scene,\u201d says Leon. \u201cThat church is kind of my background; I grew up on the gospel circuit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_20230227_132038_357-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19500\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Berklee Online graduate Leon Williams playing the melodica. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At the age of six, Leon\u2019s church gifted him a Hammond organ, which he performed all through his youth. At age 18, he put a unique twist on his organ skills by purchasing a Korg R3 Vocoder from a local music shop. Having always been interested in talk boxes\u2014an effect unit that modifies vocals through a long, clear tube\u2014he plugged in and hasn\u2019t looked back since. Famous talk box moments in music include the opening of \u201c<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Lrle0x_DHBM\" target=\"_blank\">Let\u2019s Groove<\/a>\u201d by Earth, Wind &amp; Fire, Bon Jovi\u2019s \u201c<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/lDK9QqIzhwk?t=22\" target=\"_blank\">Livin\u2019 On a Prayer<\/a>,\u201d and \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZwXlTqjyf54?t=24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">I Can Make You Dance<\/a>\u201d by Zapp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m an introvert and I don\u2019t really talk a lot unless it\u2019s something I\u2019m passionate about,\u201d says Leon. \u201cSo I always looked at vocoders and talk boxes like an extension of myself.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Talkbox Walkthrough for Berklee Take Note\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0djoBxewQIs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Leon Williams gives a tutorial of his talk box setup. <br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After Commencement, Leon plans to record an album and leverage his music business knowledge to create a brand for himself and partner up with Nashville businesses. He says he\u2019s excited to be able to set out on this new endeavor with a new network of musicians, including his Berklee peers and instructors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBerklee has really taught me to get out of my comfort zone and network,\u201d says Leon. \u201cI made some really good connections with my peers . . . I\u2019m looking to take the summer and to record new music: All original. I\u2019m still finding my sound, but I still have Berklee professors to reach out to and help on that journey.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ainsley-costello\">Ainsley Costello<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Also coming to Boston from Nashville is 19-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/ainsleycostello.com\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Ainsley Costello<\/a> who is graduating with her degree in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/music-business?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\">Music Business<\/a>. Ainsley started at Berklee Online at only 15 years old, shortly after she and her family moved to Nashville so that she could pursue music full-time. She originally considered studying songwriting at the Boston campus, but decided to round out her business skills so that she could become the best independent musician she could be.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been doing the independent musician thing since I was 13, putting out music and writing music,\u201d says Ainsley. \u201cI knew that to get your name out there, you can\u2019t really wait for a major record label to be like, \u2018Oh, hey, we like you.\u2019 You have to get out and you have to start doing it yourself.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3368\" height=\"1928\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/COTUkulele.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19504\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ainsley Costello is graduating Berklee Online with her bachelor&#8217;s degree in Music Business.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ainsley\u2019s song \u201cCherry On Top\u201d recently earned the No. 1 spot on the <a href=\"https:\/\/abreakmusic.com\/abreak58-playlist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">aBreak58<\/a> playlist, which is an online radio station that highlights independent artists across genres. After Commencement she\u2019ll go to Washington, DC to perform a concert at the aBreak58 lounge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAll Berklee Online students should check [aBreak58] out, especially if you\u2019re an independent artist because this organization really caters to independent artists,\u201d says Ainsley. \u201cIt\u2019s run by people who did the major label stuff in the past and who now really want to focus on finding the next generation of young talent.\u201d&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ainsley Costello - Cherry On Top\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bdMQGXGIUmM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ainsley Costello\u2019s song \u201cCherry On Top\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ainsley says that fans can expect new music from her at the end of 2023 into 2024, but in the meantime she\u2019ll be touring and thinking about the next iteration of her brand. Ainsley says that balancing school with the demands of her career has been one of her biggest challenges, but also one of her greatest sources of pride.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere have definitely been times where I felt overwhelmed, like being a full-time college student and being a full-time working musician,\u201d says Ainsley. \u201cSo I think I\u2019m just really proud of the fact that I\u2019ve been able to marry the two and really make it work seamlessly with my career and pushing through those hard moments where I was sleep-deprived on tour, being like, \u2018No, I have an assignment, let\u2019s get it done!\u2019\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-victor-kusaka\">Victor Kusaka<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As tour manager for the progressive metal band <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aftertheburial.co\/\" target=\"_blank\">After the Burial<\/a>, Victor Kusaka will be flying to Boston to attend Commencement after finishing the band\u2019s last show of their North American tour. Victor is graduating with his bachelor\u2019s in <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/interdisciplinary-music-studies-create-your-own-major?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Interdisciplinary Music Studies<\/a>.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really stoked to be finishing this program with a Bachelor\u2019s of Arts degree in my hand,\u201d says Victor. \u201cIf I do ever decide to step away from the touring aspect of music, I\u2019ll have this degree that I can use in other aspects of music and I\u2019m really excited about what that could open up for me in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2350\" height=\"1498\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Victor_ATB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19505\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Victor Kusaka, tour manager for After the Burial, is graduating Berklee Online with his degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Victor first connected with the members of After the Burial at Warped Tour in 2017. At the time, he was doing promotional work for <a href=\"https:\/\/sumerianrecords.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Sumerian Records<\/a> at the festival while After the Burial was performing. They hit it off and Victor became their guitar and backline tech. Six years later, he\u2019s gone on tour domestically and internationally with the band as their tour manager. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI became really good friends with them [the members of After the Burial] and over the years as I\u2019ve been touring with them, I\u2019ve been getting more and more responsibilities to the point where now I manage them,\u201d says Victor.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Victor is not on tour, he works for School of Rock in Vacaville, California as an instructor and studio coordinator. One of his reasons for earning his bachelor\u2019s is so that when he\u2019s ready to stop touring, he\u2019ll have more options for teaching music.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe touring and the teaching thing has been treating me very well and I do know that I can\u2019t tour forever,\u201d says Victor. \u201cWhat I would like to do is use my degree to get an actual state-certified teaching credential. That way I could become a certified music teacher throughout the state and not just at private afterschool things.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Victor plans to keep touring for a few more years, and in the meantime he says he\u2019s excited to get back to his students, this time with his bachelor\u2019s degree.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing with the kids and just showing them things that I wish I would\u2019ve learned at their age is so fulfilling,\u201d says Victor. \u201cI try to inspire them, especially when I come back from a tour. I try to let them know, \u2018Hey, this is possible if you really dedicate yourself to it and put in the hard work.\u2019\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-valerie-thoms\">Valerie Thoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hailing from Wilson, North Carolina, Valerie Thoms\u2019 journey at Berklee Online has been all about uncovering the musician she\u2019s been all along. She has always enjoyed music and singing but says she was too shy to perform in front of anyone. Her cousin knew she had a great singing voice she needed to let out, and asked her to join her band.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2736\" height=\"3244\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Valerie-Thoms.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19506\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Valerie Thoms is graduating from Berklee Online with her degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was really shy as a kid, so I didn\u2019t really let anybody know that I was able to sing until way later in life,\u201d says Valerie. \u201cMaybe five to ten years ago, my cousins had an inspirational band and they asked me to join. And so that\u2019s kind of how I got back into it and really got into knowing myself as a musical person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The band was short-lived but played a crucial role in inspiring Valerie to want to learn how to write, perform, and record her own music. Her husband and two daughters will join her in Boston for Commencement\u2014the fact that it\u2019s taking place on Mother\u2019s Day weekend is only fitting, she says\u2014as she graduates with her degree in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/interdisciplinary-music-studies-create-your-own-major?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\">Interdisciplinary Music Studies<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a whirlwind because I do have a full-time, 40-hour per week job and then my kids are super active,\u201d says Valerie. \u201cSo yeah, it\u2019s been crazy to balance it out and find the time to get it done but it\u2019s been totally well worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Valerie-and-family.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19507\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Valerie and her family from left to right: Husband Larnell, youngest daughter Brooklyn, Valerie, and oldest daugher Nia. Plus their dog Magnolia a.k.a. Maggie. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Valerie\u2019s next step is working on her EP, and in the meantime she decided to upload three of her demo tracks to Spotify. It\u2019s also only fitting that she titled the collection of songs <em>Quit Your Day Job Vol. 1. <\/em>Even though it\u2019s not fully produced yet, she still wanted to get a few of the songs out there for the world to hear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Quit Your Day Job, Vol. 1 (Demo)\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/3bWcNQkj6itQLkI0ViH59r?si=H8I4tq1hSvO8D19gZ1utpQ&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br>The demo version of Valerie Thom\u2019s collection of songs <em>Quit Your Day Job Vol. 1.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m most proud of being able to really tap into who I am as an artist,\u201d says Valerie. \u201cI\u2019m just happy to have been able to figure out who I am as a musician and really know what kind of message I want to put out into the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-nick-neeley\">Nick Neeley<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Graduating with his degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/electronic-music-production-and-sound-design?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Electronic Music Production and Sound Design<\/a>, Nick Neeley is a professional drummer for the United States Marine Corps, stationed at the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC. Nick completed his degree all while performing multiple times per week in DC and touring the US.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would pick and choose my classes to make sense with the schedule of work and what I knew was coming up,\u201d says Nick. \u201cThis last semester was probably my busiest, mainly because I was finishing my capstone course, and taking two other courses all throughout the time when we were on the road. We were in Arizona learning our show and I was doing homework at the hotels and we were staying at when we were on tour.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1636\" height=\"1105\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Nick-Neeley.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19509\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nick Neeley, a professional drummer for the United States Marine Corps, is graduating with his degree in Electronic Music Production and Sound Design. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A few years after joining the Marines, Nick downloaded a digital audio workstation and started experimenting with electronic music in his downtime. This experimentation became a music project called <a href=\"https:\/\/mfinity.bandcamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Mfinity<\/a>, which now has more than 1 million streams across streaming platforms.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt started out as me just messing around because I\u2019m a percussionist and I like making beats,\u201d says Nick. \u201cIn the Marine Corps, we\u2019re playing other people\u2019s music and it\u2019s very strict; there\u2019s not much individuality. This music project was a way for me to express myself.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"609\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Nick-DJ.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19508\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nick Neeley performing music from his project Mfinity. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Nick has been releasing EPs since 2020, gaining exposure by reaching out to various record labels and achieving placements. His latest EP, <em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/mfinity.bandcamp.com\/album\/off-path-ep\" target=\"_blank\">Off Path<\/a>, <\/em>was released on the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.odyzeymusic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Odyzey<\/a> label. This fall he\u2019ll be finishing up his tour of duty with the Marine Corps and will be going on tour with French producer and electronic artist <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/artist\/1496XxkytEk26FUJLfpVZr?si=l3_eD_MzQ12VVFcEZLYtQA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">CloZee<\/a>. Even with a record label relationship and tour dates on the calendar, Nick says he is most proud of his ability to budget his time and keep his grades up at Berklee Online.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Off Path\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0phfTxPW1Fi5gmSw0ZVAyE?si=6EojmCkaSfqrI_z8S9ypjw&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nick Neeley, a.k.a. Mfinity&#8217;s latest EP <em>Off Path<\/em>. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI had never really been good in school\u2014I think I graduated high school with B\u2019s and C\u2019s,\u201d says Nick. \u201cI think how much I enjoyed my classes helped a ton. And I actually ended up graduating with a 3.98, so keeping my grades up and just sticking with it is something I\u2019m really proud of.\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kelly-aliaga\"><strong>Kelly Aliaga<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Kelly Aliaga was figuring out her Berklee Online major, she was originally interested in performance, but her mother made a successful case for music production. Now Kelly and her mom will travel from Lima, Peru to Boston to see the result of years of hard work as she receives her bachelor\u2019s degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/music-production?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Music Production<\/a>.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy main instrument is voice and I write my own songs,\u201d says Kelly. \u201cAnd my mom told me, \u2018Hey, by the time you earn your degree as a performer, don\u2019t you think the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is find a producer or someone to record you? Wouldn\u2019t you feel more free in your creative process to know how to do that yourself?\u2019 And at the time I was like, \u2018You are totally right.\u2019\u201d<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1034\" height=\"924\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Kelly-A.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19510\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kelly Aliaga is graduating Berklee Online with her degree in Music Production. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2022 Kelly put her music production skills to the test after her song \u201cJoven En Pandemia\u201d (or \u201cTeenager in a Pandemic\u201d) went viral on TikTok. Her followers enjoyed the song so much that they encouraged her to put it on Spotify. With the help of a friend, she uploaded a finalized version of the song, which is about what it was like to come into adulthood during the pandemic, and it has been viewed and shared thousands of times. To date, Kelly\u2019s TikToks have received more than 1 million likes.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBasically I wrote a song about how empowered I feel about being young and having a very huge amount of possibilities to reach my dreams from my own room,&#8221; says Kelly. &#8220;And I posted a TikTok about that and completely out of the blue, it connected with so many people my age here in Peru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Joven en Pandemia - Kelly Aliaga\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZQ0H62xjXQA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Kelly Aliaga\u2019s viral song \u201cJoven En Pandemia.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Kelly says she is excited to keep producing her own music and aspires to come to the US to work in a recording studio. It\u2019s not lost on her that she\u2019s breaking ground in a very male-dominated industry like music production.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs a girl who can just come up with a song, write it on a piece of paper, and then go to my room, set up a microphone and start recording and start making a full arrangement, I feel so independent, and so empowered to know how to do that,\u201d says Kelly. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-serena-steinhauer\">Serena Steinhauer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.serenasteinhauer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Serena Steinhauer<\/a> will be traveling to Boston for the Commencement ceremony from her home in Johannesburg, South Africa. Serena has been performing nearly her whole life as a vocalist, pianist, and musical theater performer, which is why she chose to focus her <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/music-degrees\/undergraduate\/interdisciplinary-music-studies-create-your-own-major?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Interdisciplinary Music Studies<\/a> degree in liberal arts and music business.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs someone who started training very young, I was comfortable with my instrument, and I think what Berklee Online really taught me is how to be a working musician,\u201d says Serena. \u201cI learned skills that I never would have thought existed . . . It just opened a whole new world to the music industry.\u201d&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1130\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Serena.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19511\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Serena Steinhauer is graduating Berklee Online with her degree in Interdisciplinary Music Studies. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Commencement in Boston marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Serena. In August, she will be moving to NYC to pursue her MFA in acting from PACE University. However, before leaving Johannesburg, she wants to perform one more show in her home city. With encouragement from her mentor, Bryan Schimmel, one of the top music directors in South Africa, Serena is writing and performing a one-woman show about her identity as a Jewish woman, though the message is something everyone should be able to relate to.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, which is a big part of the Jewish story,\u201d says Serena. \u201cAnd I thought \u2018I\u2019m going to take that sentiment of the resilience of Jewish women, and write to play about that.\u2019 But it\u2019s not just a Jewish story. I moved away from the solely Jewish story because the resilience of women is so universal, and I really wanted to capture that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The show is titled <em>The Undone<\/em> and performances run from June 27-July 8, 2023 at Theatre On The Square in Sandton, South Africa. Serena has a lot to be proud of during her time at Berklee Online, but she says she\u2019s most proud of the connections she formed along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Meadowlark (from The Baker&#039;s Wife) - Serena Steinhauer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3i_taMRffHw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Serena performing &#8220;Meadowlark&#8221; from T<em>he Baker&#8217;s Wife<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat Berklee Online does is give you a community,\u201d says Serena. \u201cEven if you were by yourself, you always felt part of something bigger and everyone was in it together. It just brought together a world of musicians and I think that was the best part; the community, the perseverance, and the work itself was just life changing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Commencement 2022 photo at the top of this page is by Dave Green.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Members of Berklee Online\u2019s graduating class head to Boston from around the world to attend Berklee College of Music\u2019s 2023 Commencement ceremony. Read the stories of seven stand-out graduates who are celebrating the hard work that led to this milestone.   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":19491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,25,9560,32],"tags":[169,175,337,9160,9161,9158,9159],"class_list":["post-19487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-berklee-online-news","category-spotlight","category-student-stories","tag-berklee-college-of-music","tag-berklee-online-commencement","tag-commencement","tag-leon-williams","tag-mark-neeley","tag-serena-steinhauer","tag-victor-kusaka"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Berklee Online\u2019s Class of 2023 Rejoice in Community and Perseverance - 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