Providence based cellist and songwriter, Zan Berry,is a passionate and creative musician who weaves together diverse musical interests in his work as a performer and educator. With a ceaseless curiosity for exploring new musical contexts for his instrument and collaborating with local artists across disciplines, Zan strives for a more creative, connected, and diverse arts community in Providence.
Zan performs regularly with Verdant Vibes, a new music collective in Providence that brings together artists and musicians creating new work in a variety of genres, acoustic and electronic. A staunch advocate for contemporary music, he has also participated in music festivals, including Bang on a Can, New Music on the Point, and Fresh Inc and has played with members of the JACK Quartet, Bang on a Can All Stars, and Fifth House Ensemble. Through grants from the Music Mansion and RISCA, Zan has designed new concert experiences in Providence that have showcased the creative work of local cellists and presented classical music alongside traditional folk music from New England. As a singer-songwriter, he has participated in the Brown Arts Initiative Songwriters workshop and he recently released his debut EP of original songs, titled Loveblind.
Zan’s creative journey as a performer has also informed his teaching philosophy, making the cultivation of a student’s creative voice a top priority. He was a featured artist and workshop presenter at the 2018 SPIKE Alternative Cello Festival in Dublin, Ireland and he is an avid designer of creativity development workshops and classes for students of all ages. Zan recently completed a two-year fellowship with local arts non-profit Community MusicWorks and in 2018- 2019, he was a resident teaching artist with the Newport String Project. Zan received his BM Cello Performance from Vanderbilt University and his MM Cello Performance from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Felix Wang and Anthony Elliott.
All concerts take place on the first Friday of the month, open to all ages, with admission by $10–20 suggested donation. 88 Meeting Street, Providence RI. Join our mailing list or follow us on Facebook for more information.
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