Berklee World Strings

The Berklee World Strings are devoted to the art of ensemble playing and the
development of new music that features improvisation and the rhythmic capabilities of
string instruments and players. Drawing from Celtic, bluegrass, jazz, rock, and classical
styles, the ensemble presents original programs that include new compositions and
arrangements from a wide variety of the world’s music.

Directed by cellist Eugene Friesen, BWS features an international collection of Berklee’s
most accomplished and promising soloists, chamber players and fiddlers selected by
audition.

The BWS repertoire is created by a vibrant community of composers and arrangers

at Berklee - students and faculty alike - under Eugene Friesen'’s direction. While the
ensemble provides ample opportunity for soloists within the group, BWS has also
appeared in concert with a variety of international stars in jazz, pop, classical, bluegrass
and Latin styles: Ron Carter, Joe Lovano, Kirill Gerstein, Mili Bermejo, Jorge Drexler, Jetro
da Silva, Leo Blanco, Mark O'Connor, Darol Anger, Bruce Molsky and many others have
been featured in concerts at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston.

In 2010, BWS was featured in concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts in Washington D.C. on the Conservatory Project series webcast globally.

Alumnae of BWS include Mads Tolling, violinist in the Turtle Island Quartet; Hanneke
Cassell, renowned Scottish fiddler; Rushad Eggleston, rock/pop cellist,;Robert Thompson,
Cirque du Soleil violinist; Echae Kang, gypsy jazz violin virtuoso; and many, many other
creative and collaborative string players.

Four-time Grammy Award-winner Eugene Friesen is active internationally as a cellist,
composer, conductor and teacher. He has been featured in concerts all over the world
with the Paul Winter Consort, with Trio Globo (Friesen, Howard Levy and Glen Velez),

and in his popular CelloMan performances for children and families. A pioneer in the
teaching of improvisation to classically trained musicians, Eugene has led workshops
throughout North America and around the world. His book, Improvisation for Classically
Trained Musicians (Berklee Press/Hal Leonard) was released in 2012. He is an artist-in-
residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, and is a Professor in the
String Department at Berklee. More information on Eugene can be found online at: www.
eugenefriesenmusic.com