Christchurch Guitarnist Wins Full Berklee Scholarship
Corban Blackwell will study contemporary music in Boston next year, having raised funds to cover living costs not covered by his tuition award.
By Aiko Soto ·
A 17-year-old Christchurch musician has secured a full tuition scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Corban Blackwell, a student at Burnside High School, received the award worth $400,000. The college is widely recognized as a leading institution for contemporary music education.
Blackwell first picked up a guitar at age eight, a gift from his grandmother. He began on a small nylon acoustic instrument before switching to electric guitars around age 11. He now owns six guitars and practices in his bedroom for up to five hours daily. His primary instrument is a headless seven-string electric guitar, which he uses for fast melodic work.
His band, Equilibrium, won the national Smokefreerockquest title last year. They were the first instrumental act to win the competition. The group recorded and released a debut single called Rumination following their victory.
Blackwell credits Tim Henson of the band Polyphia as his biggest musical influence. He describes his style as a blend of rock, metal, and jazz. He aims to combine the technical precision of rock and metal with the harmonic depth of jazz.
The path to Berklee began with a summer program scholarship. While in the United States, he auditioned and interviewed for admission to the university. He was back at school in Christchurch when he received the acceptance email. He immediately told his teachers the news.
His father, Gavin Blackwell, noted that Corban spent six weeks in the US for the summer program at age 16. He described the upcoming year as an adventure as his son approaches his 18th birthday.
The scholarship covers four years of tuition. However, the family is raising funds through a Givealittle page to cover travel and living expenses. Gavin Blackwell estimates these additional costs at approximately NZ$50,000 per year.
Blackwell plans to depart for Boston in January. He said leaving friends and family in New Zealand will be difficult, but he is eager to start his studies.
