Upcoming
Berklee & Friends Celebrate ARP @100
A concert celebrating the Centenary of Alan R Pearlman: classic, jazz, pop, electronica, ambient & more!
April 9 @ 7:30 PM Boston, MA
Performances by:
Michael Bierylo • Richard Bru• Jennifer Hruska Project • Massimo Ferragamo David Frederick Jr & David Fredericks Sr • Collin Russell • Kristina Warren
Massimo Ferragamo is an electronic composer, sound designer, coder, and synth builder from Florence. He was first introduced to modular synthesis by Collin Russell and has been fascinated by it ever since. Influenced by artists such as Richard Devine, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Venetian Snares, and Burial, as well as ideas from 20th-century classical music, his work explores feedback, noisy textures, dissonant harmony, industrial sound design, and algorithmic experimentation with dense rhythmic structures. Recently, Massimo has begun shifting toward ideas related to Spectralism while also exploring approaches inspired by Minimalism and Ambient music, using negative space and subtle sonic transformation as compositional tools.
Richard Bru is an experimental electronic artist and sound designer based in Boston. His musical path began on the classical guitar, before diverging to electronic music and into the complex signal routing and voltage control of modular systems. His music explores generative, through-composed soundscapes and evolving timbral textures, heavily inspired by the advanced synthesis architectures and compositional strategies taught to him by Collin Russel, Matthew Davidson, Ryan Page, and Richard Boulanger. Raised in Germany with French, American, and Japanese heritage, Bru actively avoids stylistic categorization – an ethos reflected in his use of unconventional patches and real-time sound manipulation.
David Frederick Jr. is an award-winning composer for film, television, games, and commercials, and is a highly acclaimed sound designer, musician, synthesist, and music technologist. In addition to his work as a composer, David is an Assistant Professor of Electronic Production and Design at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Chances are, your favorite shows, films, or brands have already felt the impact of David’s work.
Jennifer Hruska Project – Jennifer Hruska, musician, technologist, and Berklee educator, brings her current blend of live jazz and electronic performance to ARP’s Centennial Celebration. An avid ARP enthusiast, Jennifer’s band will feature several ARP synthesizers in both traditional and modern uses of the instruments. Event performers include Jennifer – pno/epno, synths, David Frederick – synths, John Hotchkiss – bass, Ed Lesser – drums.
Deftly Demolition – David ‘Deftly-D’ Dodson has been producing and performing since 1995 when Zero Times Infinity debuted. Over time, Deftly’s brand of industrial percussion and looper music has evolved into modular synthesis, both solo and in his band Phantasmagorical Cannibal Animal.
As a video artist, Deftly improvisationally blends old and new techniques from video feedback to digital effects. Deftly has collaborated with or remixed numerous artists including Merzbow, Genesis P-Orridge, Snowbeasts and Consolidated.
He DJs a weekly radio show on 90.3 FM WZBC on Monday’s from 8-10pm and runs Voidstar Productions.
Deftly-D visuals at Allston Synth City – O’Brien’s 09/11/24. Photo by Bill T Miller.
Michael Bierylo is an electronic musician, guitarist, composer, and sound designer. He has been a faculty member at Berklee College of Music since 1995 and is Chair Emeritus of the Electronic Production and Design Department, where he led the development of Berklee’s Electronic Digital Instrument Program, the Electronic Performance Minor, and the Creative Coding Minor. Major projects include artist residencies with Suzanne Ciani, Nona Hendryx, Hank Shocklee, Richard Devine, Chagall, Robert Rich, and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. He is also active in Berklee Online, Berklee’s online school, where he authors and teaches music technology courses.
Bierylo has performed throughout the United States as a member of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. As a solo electronic artist, Bierylo has performed with laptop computers and modular synthesizers in the US, Berlin, Shanghai, and Krakow, including concerts with Grammy-nominated electronic musicians BT and Terrance Blanchard. As an active member of the Audio Engineering Society, he has chaired the Electronic Instrument Design and Applications Track at national conventions, bringing together industry innovators such as Dave Smith and Dave Rossum as well as design teams from Moog, Roland, and Korg.
Collin Russell is a composer, sound designer, and educator specializing in modular synthesis and through-composed electronic music. In addition to creating sound libraries and scoring music for films, Collin releases his own personal music in genres ranging from ambient to harsh noise. His process is rooted in the melding of traditional harmonic and rhythmic structures with organic modulations, bridging the gap between familiar and explorative sound.
Collin is an assistant professor of Electronic Production and Design at Berklee College of Music. His passion for teaching originated from his work as a technical writer in the music technology industry. Currently, Collin is a technical writer, product consultant, and service technician at Instruō Modular. His writing can also be found in the Bjooks publications, Synth Gems 1 and Inspire the Music – 50 Years of Roland History.
Previous
ARP Foundation Returns to the West Coast!
Yep – we’re headed back to California for NAMM – and more! Here’s the scoop:
Thursday January 22:
- Registration opens for our NAMM giveaway!
Friday January 23:
- Anthony Marinelli at our booth
- Blue Meanie All Day: See the rarest ARP there is! Nicknamed the “Blue Marvin” after ARP‘s CFO, Marvin Cohen, due to its bright blue metal case and unique features – while the actual name was “Blue Marvin,” the nickname “Blue Meanie” stuck! Only about 25 were made in 1971, making them highly sought after.
- ARP 2600: Drew Schlesinger demonstrates patches using the 2600 software included in the Korg Collection VST 6. Drew will be demonstrating both the classic and significantly enhanced capabilities available in the Korg ARP 2600 softsynth along with exploring some of his unique presets and sound designs for the virtual instrument.
Saturday January 24
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Artists at our booth – TBA
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Giveaways at 4:00pm:
Soul of the Machine CDs
As if NAMM weren’t enough all on its own – there’s Buchla & Friends on Sunday, January 24.
Buchla & Friends is January’s biggest two-day collection of hands-on synths on the West Coast! If you love creative sound, you need to be here. With a pre-party on Thursday, afterparty on Saturday, and two days of exploring all the greatest gear, Buchla & Friends is an essential start to the new year.
They’re gathering over 90 synth makers in one awesome Downtown Los Angeles location so you can learn, listen, and live the latest in electronic music sound production. This hands-on, headphones-only gathering gives you a chance to hear the best sounds science has ever created. From additive to subtractive, analog to digital, keyboards to breath, audio to visual, modular to full-size polyphonic, eurorack to Serge to Buchla, you’ll meet synth makers and synth enthusiasts alike.
ARP Foundation Returned to the UK
Arriving in the UK on September 26 we exhibited at Machina Bristronica in Bristol, this year’s biggest synthesizer Festival on September 27 & 8th!
During the show, we had a special raffle to benefit the Foundation!!
On October 4, at The Musical Museum in London, we were part of the London Synthesizer show!
Raffle September 27 & 28
Legendary ARP Pro Soloist Signed by Genesis Keyboardist Tony Banks raffled at Machina Bristronica!
The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation is proud to announce a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a meticulously restored vintage ARP Pro Soloist, personally signed by Tony Banks, legendary keyboardist of Genesis.
This iconic synthesizer—famous for its expressive presets and aftertouch performance—was a favorite of Banks during the band’s most groundbreaking era. One lucky winner took home this historic instrument, lovingly restored and authenticated, while supporting the foundation’s mission to preserve the legacy of synth pioneer Alan R. Pearlman and inspire future generations of musicians and engineers.
The raffle was held at the electronic music festival Machina Bristronica in Bristol, UK, and was won by Liam Duggan!
London Synth Show
This special event was inspired by the Korg Gallery at the Musical Museum
Explore the iconic history of Korg and ARP, get hands-on with the latest instruments, take advantage of exclusive event offers, and enjoy inspiring talks and performances from some of the most respected voices in the synth community, including:
- Dina Pearlman-Ifil, Executive Director, ARP Foundation
- Spike Edney, Keyboardist and Musical Director, Queen
- Alex Ball, Composer, Producer & Content Creator
- Luke Edwards, Product Specialist & Brand Ambassador, Korg
For this special day the entire museum was open free of charge, so visitors could discover instruments and inventions that span centuries, and which form the very foundations of modern music-making.
Centennial Gallery
We have had fantastic events opening up two exhibits on each coast! We want to shout out to the magical folk who worked to make these two events possible:
EMEAPP / Museum of Music Technology (on exhibit through June 2026)
Bob Berry, Brooke Hendricks, Clark Ferguson, Dan Gray, Drew Raison, Eric Platow, Eva Pendlebury, Gino Wong, Jamie Paul,Lisa Platow, Mark Chaplin, Mark Forman, Mike Kiker, Mike Lopus, Sharon Sincavage, Thea Raison, Vince Pupillo, Jr., Vince Pupillo, Sr., Zach Mishko
- Performers: Robin Hatch, Mike Hunter (Ombient), Don Slepian
NAMM Museum of Making Music (on exhibit through January 2026)
Brian Kehew, Carolyn Grant, Allison Hargis, Nicole Blue, BJ Morgan, Phil Janokowsk, Peter Chan, Dan del Fiorentino, John Mlynczak, Leah Roschke, Nate DeYoung
- Performers: Robin Hatch, Rupert Greenall, Steve McQuarry (Synsor)
- Panelists: Daniel Goldstein, Jim Heintz, Daniel Liston Keller, Julie Lewis, LaMar ‘Kronick’ Mitchell, Marcus Ryle, Dina Pearlman-Ifil
- Instrument Donations & Loans: Syntaur Keyboard Repair, Ryan Hawkins (SynthCave), Julie Lewis and the family of Don Lewis, and SynthChaser
- Other notable partners: Arturia, Bjooks, Cherry Audio & Korg USA and James Terris
August 9th & 10th •
ARP: The Innovator, The Instruments, The Impact debut – a new special display celebrating the life, legacy, and lasting influence of Alan R. Pearlman, founder of ARP Instruments.
Curated by guest curator Brian Kehew, expert in vintage synthesizer history and technology, this retrospective explores ARP’s revolutionary contributions to music, technology, and creativity. Developed in collaboration with The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation, the display brings together rare instruments, historic media, and firsthand stories from artists and innovators.
Whether you’re a longtime synth enthusiast or a newcomer curious about analog innovation, this exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the world of one of music technology’s true pioneers.
ARP Exhibition Opening feat. Rupert Greenall, Robin Hatch, and Steve McQuarry
ARP Exhibition Opening — Tech Talk & History Flashback
June 7 • Celebrating ARP’s Centennial at EMEAPP!
EMEAPP and the Museum of Music Technology are teaming up with the good folks at the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation to bring you a special six-month ARP exhibit. Beginning on June 7th, 2025, we will launch ARP@100: A Centennial Celebration of Alan R. Pearlman’s Legacy and you’re invited!
Our launch event will focus on Pearlman’s innovations and achievements with videos and a live interview with the Foundation’s Executive Director, Dina Pearlman-Ifil. Experience the sound of vintage ARP synthesizers with performances by electronic music pioneer Don Slepian and modular synthesist, Ombient. You’ll even have the opportunity to experience the new Museum of Music Technology!
Join us in person if you can, or participate in our live stream of the event. Additional workshops, performances and lectures will happen during the run of this unique exhibit. More details to follow, we hope you can join us!
Thank You to Sponsors, Partners and Volunteers
