"Berklee in Santo Domingo" opens for 150 Dominican students

Berklee Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo - The Minister of Culture, José Antonio Rodríguez, led the launch of the "Berklee in Santo Domingo" program, in which 150 Domincan students will participate.

The ceremony was also led by the director of the National Conservatory of Music (CNM), Maria Irene Blanco, Jason Camelio, director of International Programs at Berklee and renowed singer, songwriter and Berklee alumni, Juan Luis Guerra.

Contemporary music workshops will be taught by professors from Berklee College of Music in the United States, through an agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Juan Luis Guerra.

In his opening speech, the Minister urged the young musicians to seize this opportunity and develop their talents, while acknowleding Rafael Suncar Reynoso and Bermer Rosario, who moved from Puerto Plata and La Romana to attend the workshops.

Berklee Santo Domingo 2
Rodriguez urged students to share with their colleagues and to not say that the Ministry of Culture brought to Berklee but rather say that the Dominican Republic received Berklee and left her wanting to return.

Likewise, the director of the National Conservatory of Music, Maria Irene Blanco, addressed the audience and said that without the union and the will of the Ministry of Culture, Juan Luis Guerra, Berklee School, among others, these workshops would not have come to be.

Blanco encouraged the youth to take advantage of training this week, showing that the Dominican is persistent, disciplined and eager to learn.

In a brief speech songwriter Juan Luis Guerra declared that this was an idea which he had been planning for a very long time, after visiting Puerto Rico, which had a Berklee program, and thought that Santo Domingo too was in needed a similar workshop.

"Today is the day that Berklee came to us," proclaimed the artist with a cheerful face and full of satisfaction.

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