Berkshire Music School Online Masterclass

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Music School will present a live, interactive, online Masterclass with guitarist Jennifer Batten. 
 
Jennifer will speak about her experiences working in the music business; beginning with her three tours with Michael Jackson, her three years of work with Jeff Beck, and her Las Vegas residency with the Cirque du Soleil show, Zumanity as well as her many current endeavors.
 
The Masterclass will take place via Zoom on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 3pm. All interested attendees must register to receive the Zoom link. 
 
Suggested tuition is $25, with the option to pay-what-you-can. Free for all BMS students. To register visit https://www.berkshiremusicschool.org/box-office/lqk451is9v62sx8c9a0q1cv17zh8d5 or call 413-442-1411.
 
About Jennifer Batten:
 
Jennifer Batten has been playing guitar since age 8. She graduated from the 3rd class of Musicians Institute in 1979. In 1987 she was chosen from 100 guitarists to play on Michael Jackson’s BAD tour which travelled the globe for 1 1/2 years. She remained in Michael Jackson’s band for ten years. Right after the BAD tour, she recorded her debut CD "Above, Below, and Beyond" with producer Michael Sembello. It was released just prior to the launch of Jackson’s DANGEROUS tour in 1992. Following this tour she recorded and released her follow up CD "Momentum" and immediately joined Jackson’s final world tour in support of his dbl CD "HIStory" in 1997. Within a year of the HIStory tour’s completion, British guitar icon Jeff Beck asked her to join his band. She toured and recorded with him for 3 years supporting the 2 CD’s; "Who Else’ and "You Had It Coming." In 2009, she released her 3rd CD/DVD and began touring her own music performing in synch with films she makes. She’s had 3 instructional DVD’s released by truefire.com. In 2011 she played a Las Vegas residency for Cirque Du Soleil. Her latest 2017 release is Scherer Batten "BattleZone" which is a vocal pop record with songs mostly written by Jim Peterik of the band Survivor. She continues to tour the globe in various formats, from bands, to solos shows, to clinics, to master classes. In Jan 2016 she received the She Rocks "Icon" award and shortly after, was inducted into Guitar Player Magazine’s "Gallery of the Greats."
 

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Local Travel Softball Teams Compete in Pittsfield Tournament

iBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Berkshire Force 12-and-under travel softball team went 3-0 Saturday to start play at the Nightmare on the Dirt tournament at the Doyle complex.
 
In the Force’ first game against the Valley Storm, CC Clark went 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, and Abbigail McLaughlin and Peyton Demary each went 2-for-2 with a double. Emma Wixsom struck out three and scattered five hits in a complete-game, 11-1 win in the circle.
 
The Force then beat the N.C. Impact, 14-1, behind Ava B., who went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. Demary and McKinley Bushika split the pitching duties, combining to strike out seven in the three-inning win.
 
The Force capped its day with an 8-2 win over Top Level Athletics’ 11U team. Charlotte Kotski went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBIs in a nine-hit attack for Berkshire. Wixsom and Bushika each pitched, allowing just two hits and striking out three.
 
The Force ended the day seeded first in its division and starts pool play on Sunday at 12:30.
 
The Berkshire Force and Adams-Cheshire-Savoy Swatt 10U teams also are in action at the tournament. The Swat is seeded fourth after going 1-2 with a 10-9 win over the Force on Saturday. 
 
The Force is seeded fifth heading into pool play, which starts at 12:30 for the 10Us when the Swat and Force meet in a rematch to decide who takes on the tournament’s top seed in the semi-finals.
 
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