U.S. to further his studies at Berklee College of Music, where he was asked to play and compose for a Berklee
promotional recording produced by Pat Metheny that also featured Esperanza Spalding and Christian Scott. He
attended the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute, where he was awarded a full
scholarship as the pianist of an ensemble handpicked by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Terence
Blanchard. During this time, he had the opportunity to tour internationally with Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan,
Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Terri Lyne Carrington; he shared the stage with artists such as John Scofield, Terence
Blanchard, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Benny Golson, Nicholas Payton, and Steve Coleman.

In the last year, Neselovskyi and his trio debuted at the Village Vanguard to raging reviews, and his composi-
tions were played by orchestras throughout Europe and Ukraine.

Tigran Hamasyan

Known for melding jazz, folk, progressive rock, and classical forms, Armenian pianist and
composer Tigran Hamasyan has established himself as one of the most innovative artists

of his age. He has received an impressive number of accolades, including the top piano
award at the 2013 Montreux Jazz Festival and the grand prize at the 2006 Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Piano Competition at age 19.In 2015, Hamasyan won the Paul Acket
Award at the North Sea Jazz Festival. The following year, he earned the Echo Jazz Award (the
German Grammy) for International Instrumentalist of the Year, Piano, for his album Mockroot.
Hamasyan's latest album, An Ancient Observer, will be released later this month. It will be his second solo album
for Nonesuch Records, and his eighth overall as a leader.

 

Pletenista Balkan Choir

Founded by Christiane Karam in 2011, the Pletenitsa Balkan Choir
explores the choral traditions and folk music adaptations of the Balkans,
the Middle East, the Caucasus, and parts of the Mediterranean. It includes
and welcomes singers from all over the world, and serves not only as a
platform for cultural exchange, but also as an opportunity to come
together and celebrate the beauty and spirit that connects us all. The
Pletenitsa Balkan Choir has performed to rave reviews in Boston,
Massachusetts, and New York City, New York, and has shared the stage with Zulal, Juliana Svetlichnya, Mario
Frangoulis, José Mercé, Javier Limén, Paul Winter Consort, and Binka Dobreva.

 

Women of the World
H Women of the World was born from a dream to bring musicians from across the

globe onto a common creative platform. The group performs a vast and varied
repertoire of folk and traditional music in more than 31 of the world's languages.

Since its beginning in 2008, the ensemble has collaborated with the likes of
Nona Hendryx and African vocal icon Angelique Kidjo and performed at the Blue
Note Jazz Club, Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, the Berklee Beantown Jazz
Festival, TEDxBoston, and United Nations events. Women of the World continues
to spread the message of peace and unity through music.

 

Berklee World Strings

f Eugene Friesen, cellist and Berklee associate professor, is the conductor of
I Berklee World Strings. A graduate of the Yale School of Music, where he
studied with Brazilian cellist Aldo Parisot, Friesen is active internationally
as a concert artist, composer, conductor, and teacher. Friesen has won three
Grammys for his work with the Paul Winter Consort. His passion for the
responsive flow of improvisatory music has led him to work and record
with such diverse artists as Dave Brubeck, Toots Thielemans, Betty Buckley,
Will Ackerman Joe Lovano, and Dream Theater.