Ensemble/Lab Program

Ensemble/Lab Program

General Information

o All first year students are required to participate in the ensemble/lab program.

o All students must earn at least five credits in the ensemble/lab program in order to graduate.
Some majors require more credits in ensembles/labs (for example, Performance majors
must earn 12 ensemble/lab credits). Complete information on the graduation requirements
for your major, including how many credits you must earn in each area of instruction, is
available from the Counseling Center or the Registrar's office.

Required Labs

ILGT 117 Guitar Performance Skills
ILGT 119 Guitar Styles Skills (choose from jazz, rock, fusion, blues, show & theater, or funk)

Required labs are designed to support private lessons and develop your performance skills. Placement in these labs is determined through your initial audition in the Guitar Department. Within the first two weeks of class, you may request that your lab level be changed if you believe that the level you are in is too easy or too difficult. Your lab instructor must officially recommend the change.

Elective Labs

The Guitar Department offers more than 30 elective labs which can help you to develop a range skills: improvisation, lead and rhythm guitar, repertoire, guitar harmony, electronic effects, and more. These courses are listed in the College Bulletin and the Preregistration Manual. You may also speak with guitar faculty during posted office hours to learn more about elective labs.

Ensemble Auditions & Offerings

All entering students perform an audition which determines their first semester placement in ensembles.

Students who wish to upgrade their ensemble ratings (in order to enroll in upper level ensembles in the following semester) may audition during midterm week or final exam week. Students who intend to pre-register for the fall or spring semesters should plan to audition during midterm week of the preceding semester. (In the summer semester, ensemble auditions are only scheduled during final exam week.)

You must go to the Ensemble Department Office (Room B11, 150 Mass. Ave.) to schedule an audition. Auditions are scheduled on a first come, first served basis, and the Ensemble Department posts notification of the sign-up period throughout the College. Students may audition only once per semester (with the exception of students who are in their first semester) either during midterm week or final exam week.

If you plan to audition for ensemble ratings, you should discuss this with your private lesson instructor early in the semester, so that you can work on audition material in your private lessons.

More than 350 ensembles rehearse weekly at Berklee, and many of them offer opportunities for guitarists. Prerequisites for each ensemble are listed in the College Bulletin. You also may visit the Ensemble Department Office to discuss ensemble auditions and offerings. Ensemble offerings include jazz, rock, funk, fusion, rhythm & blues, Latin, country music, and recording groups.