Steve Vai and Berkleemusic Set World Record for Largest-Ever Online Guitar Lesson

BOSTON, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkleemusic, the online continuing education division of Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, and Grammy®-award winning guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, have set the Guinness® World Record for the world's largest online guitar lesson. Held at leading streaming media platform Livestream Studios in New York City on March 3rd, Vai brought together nearly 7,000 members of the international guitar community in a celebration of online music education.  Guinness certified the record based on Berklee having recruited 4,455 students over the first 15 minutes to the lesson. Berkleemusic also announced a donation of $7,000—one dollar for each student certified as taking part in the lesson—to the Steve Vai Online Scholarship Fund at Berkleemusic, which rewards and assists outstanding students.

"I'm very happy and proud to announce that Berklee College of Music was officially awarded the Guinness World Record for the world's largest online guitar lesson," said Berkleemusic Chief Marketing Officer Stefanie Henning.  "This was an amazing collaboration of all the teams here at Berkleemusic with tremendous support from Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown, the College faculty and students, and the day's guest of honor, Steve Vai."

Berkleemusic and Steve Vai have also co-authored a new twelve-week online course: Steve Vai Guitar Techniques. The course helps students gain a deep understanding of Vai's playing styles, repertoire, techniques, and musical concepts from anywhere in the world, and to incorporate their learnings into their own playing. The next course begins on April 4th, 2011. For more information regarding enrollment information, and sample instructions, visit Berkleemusic.com.

Vai, a Berklee alumnus and passionate advocate for music education and exploration, is finishing a new solo album and preparing for a world tour to coincide with its fall release.

"I hope this record encourages players to continue to cultivate their own unique style and spirit on the guitar," Vai says. "I think this record really showcases the interest that exists in guitar education worldwide. It was a true pleasure working with an institution like Berkleemusic, who shares my interest in helping to bring more skilled musicians into the world."

To view the archived online lesson, chat, and Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel's pre-lesson promotional videos, visit www.berkleemusic.com/vai-live.  For a downloadable hi res image of Steve Vai visit: http://www.berkleemusic.com/vai/hi-res (Steve Vai photo © Andy Alt).

Media Contact:
Henry Eshelman, Platform Media Group
323-337-9042, [email protected]

SOURCE Berkleemusic