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Mayssa Karaa is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, currently serving as the inaugural Artistic Director of Berklee Abu Dhabi. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she is known for seamlessly blending Arabic and Western music, bridging cultures through her artistry. Since graduating from Berklee, she has been dedicated to bringing its musical experience to artists in the Middle East.

 

She gained international recognition with her Arabic rendition of White Rabbit for the Oscar-nominated film American Hustle, which was featured on its Grammy-nominated soundtrack. As a cultural ambassador, she has been the voice of the Middle Eastern edition of Sesame Street (Iftah Ya Simsim) and was one of the lead singers of This Is Our Time, the official theme song for Expo 2020 Dubai.

 

Mayssa has collaborated with legendary artists, including Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman on Hayati and Glisse la Vie for his immersive film Le Musk, and has toured internationally with him. In a historic moment, she became the first artist to sing in Arabic alongside Andrea Bocelli, sharing the stage with the operatic icon in Abu Dhabi.

 

Mayssa has collaborated with esteemed artists and members of legendary bands, showcasing her versatility across genres. She was featured in two PBS specials filmed in Naples, Italy, including one also featuring the iconic Plácido Domingo. Her Arabic rendition of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb featured a former band member, and she joined David Bowie’s former bandmates on a California tour for Celebrating David Bowie. She also worked with renowned producer and musician Don Was in a tribute to Bob Seger, further establishing herself as a cultural bridge, seamlessly blending Arabic and Western music on the global stage.

 

Her discography includes her debut album Simple Cure, which she launched at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. She has performed at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including Ziggo Dome (Amsterdam), UNESCO (Paris), Dubai Opera, Detroit Symphony Hall, Abu Dhabi Festival, Beiteddine International Festival, and Belgrade Arena, among others.

 

Beyond performance, Mayssa is an influential artistic director, music strategist, and consultant. She played a key role in shaping artistic and cultural initiatives, including serving as the Artistic Director of the Firdaus Orchestra, an all-female ensemble created for Expo 2020 Dubai under A.R. Rahman’s patronage.

 

Committed to cultural diplomacy, she has received Lebanon’s National Cultural Award and the Pride of the UAE Award. She has also collaborated with the International Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, featured as an Ambassador for MasterPeace, a United Nations initiative, and has been a guest speaker at international and Middle Eastern conferences and summits.

Gael Hedding is a Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning engineer, music producer, and entrepreneur. He currently serves as the inaugural director of the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center in the U.A.E. Previously, he served as an assistant professor and production manager at Berklee's Valencia campus, contributing to its early development. There, he taught and developed curricula on music production, recording, mixing, and live sound for undergraduate and graduate students.

Hedding has conducted masterclasses in the Middle East, India, and Latin America at prestigious institutions, such as Tecnológico de Monterrey, Universidad La Salle, and Universidad San Francisco de Quito. He has been a guest speaker internationally at Latin Grammy events, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, XP Music Festival, and BIME, to name a few. He holds a bachelor's degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music and a Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris.With over 50 albums and 500-plus live shows internationally, Hedding has worked with renowned artists, including Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Aida Cuevas, Pepe Aguilar, John McLaughlin, and Caribbean Jazz Project, among others. 

In 2008, he created Sandia Sound Studio and Sandia Live, both ventures in Cancun, Mexico, devoted to music production in the studio and on stage. Additionally, Hedding is a founding member and former secretary of the Circle of Producers and Engineers (CPI) at the Latin Recording Academy. He also serves as an advisor for foundations in Mexico and India dedicated to enhancing culture and the music industry.

Shilpa Ananth is an Indian vocalist, songwriter, composer and producer based in Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. She has a unique sound that fuses the dreamy landscapes of South India with soul, jazz, and electronic music. Shilpa creates art that transcends borders and cultures, blending three of the oldest Indian languages — Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi — with English. "After graduating with honours from Berklee College of Music, Shilpa released her debut EP Indian Soul and went on to record and perform Grammy Award-winning composers A. R. Rahman, Bobby McFerrin, Bill Whalen and Javier Limon's Original Quartet." She has also toured extensively with the Serbian female vocal group ROSA, the Berklee Indian Ensemble, Women of the World and with the Bollywood Boulevard musical production, performing at US venues such as Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Apollo Theatre, NJPAC, Wolf Trap and The John F. Kennedy Center.

Miklos Malek is an American-Hungarian music producer, mixing / mastering engineer and songwriter. He is known for his deep musical knowledge, dedication to quality and his unique ability to elevate every project he touches in unexpected ways. Miklos’ credits include Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Armin Van Buuren, Anastacia, Pixie Lott, Yanni, and The X-Factor. His work has been featured on over 15 million records.

Born in Budapest, Miklos has inherited the rich musical lineage of his parents. He studied classical piano and composition while working on pop hits. After receiving his master’s degree from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Miklos went to Boston and studied at Berklee College of Music. Soon after he was offered a publishing deal in New York, which led to his breakthrough in the USA first as a songwriter (Anastacia) and then as a producer / arranger (Jennifer Lopez, Anastacia, Dream).

In 2006, Miklos launched his studio in Hollywood, Los Angeles. He began focusing more on developing new artists, mixing / mastering (Ariana Grande, Armin Van Buuren, Aloe Blacc) and expanding into new genres (Yanni, Markus Schulz). In 2010, Miklos was invited to be a judge on X-Factor, the Hungarian version of the wildly popular talent show. Through auditioning thousands of people and coaching his contestants to victory, he gained a deeper understanding of how to bring the best out of artists.

Building on his successful mentoring in X-Factor, Miklos shares his knowledge around the world in the form of masterclasses, workshops and one-on-one coaching (Microsoft, Los Angeles Music Industry Summer Academy, SynthPlex, American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers).

Zeina Aftimosis a professional vocal coach and performer specializing in Arabic folk music and vocal production. She has collaborated with top artists and performed at prestigious events, includingExpo 2020 DubaiandUAE National Day concerts.As avocal producer and choir conductor, Zeina has played a key role in major national performances across the UAE.

She is also acertified trainerin voice and breathing techniques, working with both singers and public speakers to enhance their vocal abilities.Her talent has been showcased oninternational stages, with standout performances at venues likeDubai OperaandLa Perle Theatre. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded aCertificate of Honorfrom theMinistry of Energy and Infrastructurefor her work onOpera Zayedat La Perle.

Samvel Gasparyan is an Armenian jazz pianist and composer celebrated for his unique fusion of traditional Armenian music with contemporary jazz harmonies and rhythms. His music combines intricate improvisation with deep emotional depth, shaped by his classical training and jazz influences and is distributed by  Universal Music  (MENA).  He also serves as a piano and ear training instructor at Berklee Abu Dhabi. In 2023,Samvelreleased his latest studio album, One for Chick, a heartfelt tribute to the late jazz legend Chick Corea.

Over his career, he has recorded two solo albums as a leader and contributed to numerous projects as a sideman. Samvelhas collaborated with renowned artists such as Richard Galliano, Arto Tunçboyacıyan, Deborah Davis, Eddie Cole, Frédéric Yonnet, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and GRAMMY-winning composer Steve Sidwell. He has shared stages with icons like Chick Corea, Danilo Pérez, Cory Henry and Funk Apostles, Jacob Collier, and American jazz pianist Kiefer. Additionally, he has opened for major acts including Maroon 5, Jamiroquai, and Diana Krall. While his global profile is still growing,Samvelhas earned a respected reputation in the international jazz community for his expressive performances and innovative compositions.

Serena is a music Producer/Dj | realtime Audio-Visual composer & performer based in Dubai. She expresses her inspiration by tapping into the multi-genre music and art world. She explores and experiments with Surrealist, organic sounds and textures in the form of Downtempo/Electronica music. Her pieces communicate emotional, social and cultural concepts that are prominent in her journey of self-discovery. The art of communication is what inspires her work and is the reason behind her executions.

She also is an Assistant professor in Digital Media holding a BFA in Visual Communication from the American University in Dubai and a Master’s Degree in Music Production, Technology and Innovation from Berklee College of Music. She also is one of the ambassadors of Berklee College of Music in Dubai. Her area of expertise is in Music Production, DJ, real time audio and visual composer and performer.

She’s worked and performed in gigs with well known artists as a DJ and a VJ all over the city of Valencia, Spain. She was given an Advanced Contemporary Artist Award in 2018 by Berklee leaders for her thesis presented as an audio-visual installation and performance all over the city of Valencia and was selected to present her work via the social media channels of the International Music Summit(IMS) which took place in Ibiza,Spain. Serena’s passion and work was also recognized as a great art director and innovative audio-visual producer by visiting guests in Berklee Valencia such as, Nona Hendryx, Patrice Rushen and Katrina Becic.

All of her visual and audio work are innovatively produced, created, designed, performed and executed digitally via technology tools. Her music is released on more than 50 popular online stores and streaming services such as; iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Anghami, TikTok and many more and is continuing to release more of her music as well as performances and installations.

Nikolai Mishchenko is a contemporary pianist, composer, and sound producer originally hailing from Moscow. His unique style seamlessly blends traditional jazz roots, contemporary classical improvisations, and electronic elements. Notable for his versatility, Mishchenko has garnered numerous awards both as a performer and composer. Invitations to perform as both a leader and sideman at prestigious jazz festivals worldwide attest to the global recognition of his talent. These include appearances at the "Cambridge Arts River Festival" (USA), the "Gubbio Summer Festival" (Italy), and “Triumph of Jazz” (Russia), among others. After successfully completing his studies at the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mishchenko took on the role of a piano instructor at his alma mater.

This teaching experience paved the way for his journey to the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in India, where he contributed to the development of the curriculum and taught as a full-time faculty member. Throughout his illustrious career, Nikolai has collaborated with renowned artists such as Terry Ellis, Igor Butman, Mayssa Karaa, Laurin Talese, Warren Wolf, Gregory Groover, ERINI, Nizar Fares, and more. Beyond his musical pursuits, Mishchenko is deeply passionate about exploring innovative connections between science, poetry, nature, and music. His mission is to create experiences that resonate, connect, and inspire audiences worldwide.

James Kelly is a DJ, composer, performer, producer, engineer and teacher who is from the United Kingdom. James’s creative work explores the use of the turntable as an instrument. He pioneered the use of a vinyl disc cutting lathe as part of the compositional process in order to create turntable music and has worked in popular and experimental music as well as academia. Spanning genres from dubstep to pop, funk and ambient, James’s projects have received national radio exposure in the United Kingdom. He toured the UK as a DJ and also with Ginger Snaps, Ola Szmidt and Pure Phase. As a composer, his interdisciplinary projects have included scores for the feature film Honeytrap (2014), the contemporary dance film Cynefin (2011) and for a solo sound art exhibition at the Avenue Gallery, University of Northampton, UK (2016). James’s teaching focuses on DJ’ing and electronic music production, performance and music education. He wrote an accredited course in turntablism and contributed to producing the Tutoritool, a vinyl record designed to teach the user how to DJ using the records themselves. James has a PhD in turntablist composition from De Montfort University, UK, and previously held the position of Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Northampton.

Ksenija Kovač-Romano is a professional ballet soloist and renowned choreographer with international experience. She has over 20 years of performance and teaching experience in classical and modern ballet in Ballet and Opera productions. She has worked for and collaborated with famous choreographers and theatre directors. She has a Diploma of the National Conservatory of Music and Ballet Ljubljana, Slovenia, and was a member of the Slovenian National ballet company in SNG Opera in Balet Ljubljana for 23 years.

Professor Tonya Butler, J.D., LL.M. is Chair of Music Business/Management at Berklee College of Music. She is the first woman and the first person of colour to lead the department in its 30-year history.

A seasoned veteran of the music industry, Prof. Butler has more than 14 years of expertise as an entertainment attorney and record label executive, as well as 16 years’ experience running music business programmes and teaching classes in entertainment law. She has a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law and a Master of Laws degree in Entertainment and Media from Southwestern University School of Law, with an international component from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, England.

Prof. Butler is an award-winning motivational speaker, Toastmaster and author of the self-published career guide, The Music Business is Corrupt or Maybe You Just Can’t Sing?, a book about how to take responsibility for your struggling career. She also hosts a bi-weekly podcast called the B.O.M.B. (Business of Music Bootcamp) Podcast, which highlights the business and legal aspects of the music industry, using high-profile cases and celebrity disputes.

Roger Ryan has built a music career and legacy on the premise that Music Is For The SOUL.
He is a graduate of Oakwood College, where he majored in Piano Performance and Graduate studies in Arranging at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.
This multi Grammy, Dove nominee and Juno Award winning producer has run the full spectrum of the industry and a wide range of genres. His talents have taken him around the world.
Career Highlights include:
• First Music Director for Gospel diva, Cece Winans, Musician with Country/Pop great Wynonna Judd • Written and/or arranged music for Artists such as Yolanda Adams, Opera Star: Angela Brown, Alvin Slaughter, Avalon and the London Philharmonic, Mandisa
• Collaborative work with Patti Austin and the San Francisco Orchestra
• Live performances with artist such as Whitney Houston, Lalah Hathaway, Faith Hill, Kirk
Whalum, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Earl Klugh, Denise Williams, Michael W. Smith, Amy
Grant, Kenny Rogers, Donna Summer, Gino Vanelli, David Peck, Tony Rich, Tommy Simms • Arrangement & Production of Shirley Caesar and Friends Project featuring Faith Evans,
Kirk Franklin, Patti La Belle, Oleta Adams and Gladys Knight
• Co-Produced: The Nu Nation Tour with Kirk Franklin
• Co-produced Televised White House Concert for President Bill Clinton, Program for PBS
• Lilo & Stitch Movie Premiere:Hollywood, Ca Walt Disney World’s 25th Anniversary:Orlando, Fl
• 1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Para Olympics Opening Ceremonies with Stevie Wonder and Donnie Osmond Battery Park
• Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Induction: Tribute to Diana Ross, VH1 Save the Music Show,
NAMM Trade Convention, Cinema Awards Tributes An exquisitely gifted pianist, performer, producer, arranger and vocalist in his own right, he continues to passionately lend his skilled musicianship and production expertise toward the enrichment and development of others. This has resulted in Collaborative Partnerships, Masterclass Development and Interactive Learning environments such as:
• International Advisory Council for University of Trinidad & Tobagos’ Academy for the Performing Arts
• Mentor and Counselor to the Music Department at University of the Southern Caribbean
• Masterclass: Music Writing & Arranging in New Zealand and the UK, Mark Kibble (Take 6),
Gordon Chambers (Anita Baker)
• Masterclass for Natural Cultural Foundation in Barbados and continued partnership to Developing a Holistic Music program to stimulate the Music Industry in Barbados, • 1st Annual Songwriters Camp in Galway, Ireland Currently, the Roger Ryan Brand is involved in numerous recording projects through his production company, Roger Ryan Music.
Within recent years Roger started a label called AfterTouch Music, which is currently being distributed by Sonys' Indie arm.
For Roger, music is spiritual, “I truly do believe that music is for the soul and should come from the depths of who we are...from the core. The mind isn’t deep enough, neither is the heart.
To inspire it must come from the soul.”

With a unique background in engineering and film scoring, Kevin’s work is often at the nexus of music and technology. He has spent the past few years collaborating with Intel to create new forms of music production and performance, and most recently was the music supervisor for Le Musk, an immersive cinematic virtual reality experience, together with his mentor A.R. Rahman. Kevin started working with A.R. Rahman 10 years ago on his Slumdog Millionaire world tour and has now become an integral part of his team, collaborating on other projects such as Pelé: Birth of a Legend, The Hundred-Foot Journey, Million Dollar Arm and many Indian feature films.

Kevin is an Emmy-nominated composer for his work on Momentum Generation. He has also worked on TV, trailers and video games, including Dead Rising 4 and Need for Speed. He recently developed an artificially intelligent (AI) composing algorithm through his collaboration with Intel that will be used for the mascot anthems in the 2021Tokyo Olympic Games.

Kevin spent his formative years in France and the Netherlands, developing a passion for music early on in his life. Although he can play many instruments, he has been a classically trained pianist since the age of six. He continues to perform and to direct live shows, such as the opening musical performance for the Intel 2018 keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show, and A.R. Rahman’s Coke Studio show in India. Kevin has also been working as a consultant for Yamaha and Steinberg for the past 11 years and is the West Coast Steinberg representative in the United States of America. In this capacity, he frequents studios to train musicians, artists and music producers on Cubase, Nuendo, Dorico and Wavelab.

Krystal Banfield is Berklee College’s Vice President of Education Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship, responsible for the advancement of the institution’s vision for communities, schools, and professional sectors in expanding access to education in the creative arts and related industries.

Dr. Banfield provides broad oversight for Berklee’s City Music international K12 program and Berklee PULSE®, and in establishing its vision to become the world’s leading creative youth development program in contemporary music, dance, musical theater, creative entrepreneurship, and music production. With a passionate commitment to excellence in the arts as a published educator, a concert singer, and an award-winning community and youth arts advocate, Banfield has more than 30 years as an executive in higher education administration, nonprofit arts management, and instruction. Her accomplishments include product and resource development, and management of the interdisciplinary middle-level band music and technology-based curricula series. She developed and co-authored the Berklee Online MOOC Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom for Coursera©, contributed to the development and managed BandQuest® (distributed by Hal Leonard) and created an elementary school curriculum in creativity Composers Suitcase®.

She is highly skilled in the management of teaching artists across multiple arts disciplines, galvanizing fund support, and scaling creative arts and academic initiatives and partnerships across the U.S., with academic partnerships in Canada, and Ecuador. Academically, she served as an adjunct voice professor and music education lecturer at University of St. Thomas and the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. Her published and recorded works include articles featured in Intellect Publishers book, Places and Purposes of Popular Music Education: Perspectives from the Field, the Cambridge Scholars Press, the Teaching Artist Journal and the INNOVA Recordings label. Dr. Banfield holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Howard University in Washington, DC; a Master of Music from Indiana University-Bloomington; and a Doctorate in Education with concentrations in curriculum development, critical pedagogy and educational leadership from University of St. Thomas-Minneapolis. Dr. Banfield has received honorable distinctions including the distinguished Amtrak/Boston Celtics Pioneer outstanding greater community service award and the New England Women’s Leadership Award. She was selected among the 2016 GK100: Boston’s 100 Most Influential People of Color in Education and honored at the Boston Children’s Hospital 10th Annual MLK Legacy Series. Dr. Banfield serves on the boards of the Boston Arts Academy High School as co-Vice Chair, the Boston Children’s Chorus and MassArt College Artward Bound. 

Enrique Gonzalez Müller is a Latin Grammy-winning and Grammy nominated music producer and sound engineer who has worked with a diverse range of artists, including Dave Matthews Band, Joe Satriani, Los Amigos Invisibles, Tina Turner, Nine Inch Nails, Victor Wooten, Wynton Marsalis and members of Metallica. Gonzalez Müller is also an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, receiving recognition for his work as an innovative educator, winning the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2015 and founding The Pedagogy Arts Collective at Berklee in 2021 to promote excellence in education.

Lucas Martin is a passionate educator, music technologist and show producer who serves as Associate Professor at the Berklee Valencia Campus. Previous to Berklee,
Lucas combined teaching roles in several institutions, such as Trafford Council, the Manchester College, and the Royal Northern College of Music, with sound engineering and video production freelance projects for different festivals, theaters, music venues, and national media organizations. Some of the courses that Lucas currently teaches at
the Berklee Valencia Campus are Production Concepts for the Contemporary Performer, Live Sound & Stage Craft, and Introduction to Music Technology.

With over 26 years of experience in youth development, Misael Martinez is known for his innovative approach to artist and business development, as well as his commitment to education. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the Eartha Dengler Award from the Lawrence History Center, the 2023 Berklee College of Music Brass Day Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect Award, and recognition as the 2021 NAACP Merrimack Valley Chapter Keynote Speaker.

Martinez founded Movement City, a nonprofit focused on performing arts and youth empowerment, where he partnered with Berklee City Music to help students from Lawrence, MA, earn full-tuition scholarships to Berklee. He currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Social Entrepreneurship and Creative Youth Development at Berklee College of Music, leading programs in performing arts, entrepreneurship, and technology production. His work includes managing the City Music Ambassador Program, summer scholarships, and overseeing 47 program sites in 39 cities globally.

In addition to his role at Berklee, Martinez is the founder and owner of Missobrown, a creative firm focused on strategic and artistic campaigns. A bilingual Dominican-American, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services Management from Lesley University and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College.

Key Speaking Engagements:

• Keynote Speaker, Stellenbosch University – Cape Town Music Academy (2019)
• Keynote Speaker, Boston Arts Academy (2019)
• Panelist, New Repertoire Theater – Black Art Educators (2020)
• Diversity Equity and Inclusion Lead Facilitator, Berklee College of Music (2020)
• Keynote Speaker, City Music Global Summit (2018)

Martinez is recognized as a visionary leader whose work continues to empower youth globally, fostering opportunities through creativity, entrepreneurship, and education.

An acclaimed Palestinian multi-style cellist and composer, Naseem is a striking example of a unique musical voice from the Middle East. He is a classically trained musician and improviser, with a reputation for blending Arabic, jazz and classical western music into his performances.

After studying at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he received his Bachelor and Master’s degrees for cello performance.

Naseem is a soloist, recording musician, chamber musician, and teacher, currently serving directing the Arab Music Ensemble at Tufts University. He is a global performer, touring with Danilo Perez’s Global Messengers and Amir Elsaffar’s Rivers of Sound Orchestra. He has also performed at many international festivals and performance venues such as the Detroit Jazz Festival, Lebanon’s Beit Aldeen Festival and the Royal Albert Hall.

Professor Tonya Butler, J.D., LL.M. is a multi-talented speaker, teacher, author, and industry advocate. 

A seasoned veteran of the music business, Butler has more than 14 years of expertise as a retired entertainment attorney and former record label, publishing company and film music executive. She has 19+ years of undergraduate and graduate-level academic experience, building and running music business programs, and teaching classes in entertainment law, copyright, and contracts at colleges, universities and law schools nationwide. 

She has a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law, and a Master of Laws in Entertainment and Media from Southwestern School of Law, which included an international component from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, England.

Professor Butler is an award-winning Toastmaster, and motivational speaker who has presented dozens of keynotes, workshops and seminars around the world. She has also served as either a moderator and/or panelist at a number of music industry events.  

Butler is author of the self-published career guide, The Music Business Is Corrupt, or Maybe You Just Can’t Sing? a book about how to take responsibility for your struggling career. She also hosts a bi-weekly podcast called the B.O.M.B. (Business of Music Bootcamp) Podcast, which uses real-life celebrity disputes and high-profile cases to empower musicians, artists, songwriters and producers with the business and legal knowledge they need to protect themselves and their music.

Viktorija Pilatovic is a Lithuanian singer, composer, and educator currently living in Spain. Recording artist with four releases featuring original music: "Skybridges"
(2023), "The Only Light" (2019), "Stories" (2017), "Nica's Blues" (2013). Assistant Professor at Berklee Valencia and Musikene, San Sebastian. Her voice and presence have thrilled crowds at
her live appearances throughout her 10+ year career. Poetic lyrics wrapped in her own compositions, modern harmonic progressions that touch the heart, and a virtuosic vocal
performance that always sounds natural... All this is Viktorija Pilatovic, one of the voices that are making a strong breakthrough in Spanish and European jazz.

She has released four albums of her own compositions with the New York label Inner Circle Music and has participated in memorable albums such as Perico Sambeat Big Band’s “Voces,”
where her voice is featured along with Silvia Pérez Cruz’s. She has also collaborated in productions with Gilberto Gil, Victor Wooten, Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Banda Magda,
and Petros Klampanis, who produced her latest album, "Skybridges" (2023), featuring acclaimed Spanish flutist and saxophonist Jorge Pardo. In "Skybridges," Viktorija deploys the breadth of her resources as a composer and performer to touch on themes such as admiration for nature, humanity, love, and the contrast between the immensity of the universe and everyday life. Beyond the vulnerability that her music sometimes conveys, Pilatovic projects hope and optimism through her harmonies, melodies, rhythms, and
lyrics.

Valencia, San Sebastian, Seville, Formentera, and Castellon are some of the festivals she has already visited in Spain, along with outstanding programs in Switzerland ("Montreux Jazz"),
France ("Jazz-Rhône-Alpes" Grenoble), Lithuania ("Vilnius Mama Jazz"), Ecuador, the United Kingdom, Poland ("Sopot Jazz"), Tunisia, Belgium, and The Netherlands.

Sean McMahon attended Berklee College of Music and graduated with a degree in Film Scoring in 2000. In 2003 he moved to Los Angeles and completed the University of Southern California's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Program. There he studied with Hollywood composer Christopher Young who hired McMahon to be his orchestrator and assistant. Together they worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Spider-Man 3, Ghost Rider, and The Grudge.

 

In addition, McMahon has orchestrated for Oscar-winning composer, John Ottman, on such films as Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and The Invasion. And McMahon has scored his own films which include The Grudge 3 and 400 Days, which launched the Syfy channel's film division. 

 

Since 2019 McMahon has chaired the Screen Scoring department at Berklee College of Music and oversees two Bachelor's degree programs: Film and Media Scoring and Game and Interactive Media Scoring.