This short film bio was made by the one and only Ben Hollis, a brilliant Chicago based filmmaker, inspirational speaker, television personality and all around good guy Ben Hollis. Ben came to kauai and followed me for a week. In the Will Movie we see me teaching at Kauai Pacific School, we come along with me to a couple of local gigs, we hang out with Denise Kaufman and Kirk Smart, and catch some great behind the scenes interviews. We also learn the secret of music! Ben really captured my essence, he was great. He's coming back to Kauai too... Need a video made? This is your Guy! You can check him out at www.benhollis.com.
Will in the MP&E Dept.
I love MP&E at Berklee. Great studios, great faculty, incredible student performers, Berklee has it all. There are so many opportunities! I Enjoy being a student in the department and I love all that it does for me. I always try to help out new students in any way I can.
Like our cover of firework just broke 20,000 views
WATCH THE TUBBY LOVE VIDEO with WILL LYDGATE
LETTER FROM SUZANNE COMPOSER/ARRANGER WORKSHOP
From: Suzanne Perel <sperel@berklee.edu>
To: wlydgate@berklee.net
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 12:32 PM
Subject: Composer/Arranger Workshop Thanks You!
COMPOSER/ARRANGER WORKSHOP NOTICE
To: Will Lydgate ID: 229832 Mailbox: SB1032
From: Suzanne Perel, Composer/Arranger Workshop Manager
Dear Will: Thank you for your contribution to the Composer/Arranger Workshop program this semester. I hope you found it to be a beneficial experience. If you will be back next semester and have a preference for a specific band, let me know. Be sure to save this letter, as it will serve as proof of participation in a workshop for your Berklee Achievement Scholarship portfolio.
QUOTES ABOUT WILL
Will Lydgate is a rare bird of the best kind. He is talented, intelligent, conscientious, and hard working. It is a pleasure to personally recommend him for a scholarship in the strongest terms. – Susan Rogers (Prince, Bare Naked Ladies)
Will Lydgate is a high-cholesterol bass player very funky, very greasy – Dave Fiuczynski (Screaming Headless Torsos, Meshell Ndegeocello)
Will is an amazing musician and a commanding personality – Stephen Webber (DJ Premier, Professor at Berklee College of Music, Music Production and Engineering Dept. and Ensemble Dept.)
BUFFY ST. MARIE & WILL
The lovely Buffy St. Marie. She still has every bit or radiance she always had, even more. Here she is in my living room for the Buffy St. Marie/Kauai Community Radio celebration party. We ate good food and she played a wonderful set with her band.
wow, someone needs a beard trim
Here is the whole KKCR group, buffy, her band, and me at steelgrass. I heard that Buffy guys were opening for Dylan a month after this gig!!! In case y’all don’t know, Buffy has got it going on…
Dreamworks rented our whole property for a film shoot and some VO recording in the studio. I got to meet Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Jeffery Katzenberg, Jay Baruchel, Carlos Sotolongo (LA studios) and a bunch of great writers and producers. Here is a preview for Madagascar 2 they made at Steelgrass, see if you recognize the spot!
And here is a hand bill for the wavy Gravy Movie from fantastic director Michelle Esrick and Ripple Effect films came St. Misbehavin' the Wavy Gravy Movie. I was Just excited to work with Buffy St’ Marie. All I knew was it was the soundtrack to a movie about Wavy Gravy.
When I heard the track, produced by one Emory Joseph, I realized what was going down. This was an all-star track. Bonnie Raitt playing slide, T-Bone Wolk (who has passed away since, RIP) on bass, the track was slammin.
And the final version was a who’s who of Wavy’s friends. Jackson Browne, Taj Mahal, Bob Weir, Maria Muldaur, Bonie Raitt, and more. I mean I was floored, I got my first film credit from these fine folks, I’m in the credits at the end of the movie!! Am still proud. And, the film changed my life, I am so inspired by it. If you get the opportunity go out and see this movie! St Misbehavin’ You will be the better for it. I will have little gravy in my heart for a long time to come...
I had the great pleasure of working with the distinguished Stephen Webber on his Stylus Symphony, the first ever symphony written for turntables and full symphonic orchestra. Not only did Dr. Webber write this incredible symhony, he composed the original ideas at Steelgrass on the Steelgrass Bosendorfer back when we still had it. I had the pleasure of being Stephen's Rehearsal assistant for the initial performance with the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Peter Cokkinias). I also recorded all of the acoustic bass parts for the recording of the Stylus Symphony. Look for the full DVD version of the stylus symphony coming soon.
PRESS
Read the Mid Week Kauai feature artice on Will Lydgate For the Love of Music
By Amanda C. Gregg
At Berklee I had the great pleasure to be an admissions dept tour guide. It was my first job as a tour guide, and it planted the seeds for what was to come. Now we run a farm tour operation on Kauai www.steelgrass.org.
At Berklee I also helped to found a fledgling pep band for our athletic program including digging up the old fight song that Bill Cosby wrote for berklee.
I also enjoyed Dave ‘Fuze’ Fiuczynski’s microtonal club. There is more on my Berklee experience in my Bio and Resume.
I was also unofficially named the “Mayor of Hemenway St.” by students in residence there for my gregariousness and stately charm.
Here on Kauai life in the community is what keeps me sustained. A few highlights:
The lovely Annabelle (A&W forever!) is in a fire dance troupe called Soul Fire. They fly all over Hawaii doing all the big fire dance gigs. Annabelle performs waaay more than I do. 3 luau’s a week for an average of 700 pax a night! Good god. At the KPS fundraiser Kauai Circus I joined Soul Fire as the ring master. Annabelle is the one with her leg up on me:-)
I am a member of the Rotary club of Kapa'a. Rotary has been a joy, I cannot think of a more purposeful organization, know them by their works… Community service and world service. It was my pleasure to serve on the board of directors as vocational service chair. I won the spirit award in my first year of Rotary.
We started an organization called Kauai agricultural initiative. In addition to the popular garden island range and food festival held every year at kilohana pavilion, we founded something called the mayors garden. Here is a nice recognition from Mayor Bernard Carvahlo Jr. for our works.
I teach music at a place called Kauai Pacific School. It has been an incredible experience. Maybe my favorite part was teaching lyric writing to my 3-4th grade class. Here is a song that the whole class came up with:
KPS WILL ROCK YOU Sing to the tune of We Will We Will ROCK YOU! by Queen
Kid you’re a school boy havin’ some fun
Playing on the playground till the day is done
You’ve got a smile on your face
You’re in a happy place
Doin’ your homework in front of your face.
KPS will rock you, rock you x2
Richard is the principal he’s really fun
He’ll met you on the ball court and show you how it’s done
You got a smile on your face,
You’re in a happy place
Doin’ your homework in front of your face.
KPS will rock you, rock you x2
We’ve got Carla and Laura
Michele and Chris
Christine and Richard and all the rest
You’ve got a smile on your face
You’re in a happy place
Doin’ your homework in front of your face.
KPS will rock you, rock you x2
Playing in the schoolyard at KPS
Punch the tetherball we are having recess
You’ve got a smile on your face
You’re in a happy place
Throwin’ your homework all over the place
KPS will rock you, rock you x2
Testimonials from KPS Students:
An Interview With Sage and Makaiao
Here’s what the kids on the island are saying.
When asked, Tell us what you think about your Music Teacher Will Lydgate?
Sage Ioanna age 9:
"He’s Awesome, enthusiastic, loves to play music and is the best music teacher ever."
Makaiao McEntee age 10:
"He’s awesome, superfun, the best music teacher I ever had. He’s really funny and very awesome."
Sage Will and Makaiao jam air funk in Kilauea
Me and Lapis singing three little birds at the KPS spring talent show.
Shaughnessey and Will at the music yurt! Jamming at lunch time.
Additional Student Testimonials
Here is another student testimonial, this one from a private lesson student, Blossom Ko.
REGGAE WORKSHOPS
Here on Kauai I put on a series of reggae music workshops with my brother Gabe Jones. They were a big hit!!! We flew in professors Danny Mo, and Matt Jenson from berklee. Reggae Legend Jack miller from Big island, reggae roots fixture Tuff Lion from Virginia, and reggae historian and culture carrier Roger Steffens from the reggae Ark-hive in Echo Park LA.
Oh, and there is the Berklee College of Music Steelgrass Residency. Set up by Stephen Webber, the office of faculty development and Steelgrass. This residency brings Berklee Faculty To Kauai to recreate, involve themselves in the community, and pursue their personal projects musical or otherwise. All on the grounds of steelgrass and at steelgrass recording studio. Most faculty come to record in the studio. Here is a description of the residency.
