Berklee Musicians Perform Earth, Wind & Fire’s “December”
Berklee musicians from several locations perform “December,” a holiday version based on Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September.” The video brings singers and instrumentalists together in a shared arrangement. The official video presents these parts within one coordinated performance, with the song providing continuity across the different contributors.
The official upload lists Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee Valencia, Berklee NYC and Berklee Abu Dhabi among the participating communities. Naming the programs makes the collaboration’s scope specific and gives viewers a clear source for the participant information.
The description identifies “December” as based on “September.” This makes the video a seasonal interpretation of familiar repertoire rather than a wholly unrelated composition. The shared title signals the connection while the holiday setting gives the arrangement its own occasion.
The credits name multiple featured vocalists, including Keeme Tajudeen, Keisha Sanchez, Ivonne Fernandez, Wajd Bou Said, Cybèle Fasquelle and Ike Moemeka. Listing the vocalists helps make clear that several people contribute to the featured lines across the performance.
The instrumentation includes drums, congas, bass, guitar, keyboards, piano and horns. These parts give the arrangement several ways to support vocals and establish rhythm. The different instruments allow the ensemble to divide rhythmic, harmonic and melodic responsibilities.
Watch the performance
The rhythm section provides a steady reference for the ensemble. That groove helps connect the different contributions and gives the arrangement continuity. That pulse is a common reference point for musicians contributing from different sections of the arrangement.
Horns add another recognizable sound to the performance. Their phrasing can punctuate vocal sections and complement the rhythm without taking over the lead melody. Their parts add definition around the singers and help shape the ensemble sound.
Multiple singers bring different tones to the shared material. The arrangement links their contributions so the song retains its direction across changes in voice. The transition between voices becomes another part of the arrangement, not merely a change of soloist.
The credits also include the vocal group Pitch Slapped. Their participation adds another ensemble element to the holiday presentation. The official credits name this group among the contributors to the performance.
Listeners can follow how lead vocals, supporting voices and instrumental accents relate. Familiar music makes it easier to notice the parts that build the performance. Because the song is familiar, listeners can attend to how the musical details are organized.
The campuses listed in the credits show the collaboration’s geographic reach. The source keeps that scope concrete by naming the participating Berklee programs. This institutional setting is described through the listed locations rather than inferred from the video’s editing.
The video also raises questions about arrangement and balance: which instruments carry the groove, how do they support a singer, and how does one vocal section lead into another? Those listening questions help focus on balance and structure rather than general claims about the collaboration.
Those questions apply to collaborative music generally. An arrangement must give contributors room while maintaining a common direction and pulse. A shared pulse can make it easier to bring different timbres and roles together.
The holiday format supplies the occasion, while the musical structure depends on the ensemble’s coordination. The parts need to work together regardless of the seasonal framing. The occasion does not replace the need for musical coordination across the participating performers.
Listeners familiar with “September” can recognize the source material. Others can approach the video as a group performance and follow how its parts fit together. The song offers a known reference while the ensemble’s arrangement supplies a new seasonal frame.
Berklee’s “December” brings a multi-campus group into one seasonal arrangement. Its listed contributors and instrumentation create a shared presentation of Earth, Wind & Fire’s familiar musical material. The listed credits and instrumental roles help listeners connect the visible performance with the people behind it.
More videos to explore
Earth, Wind & Fire’s official “September” video provides the original musical reference for this holiday interpretation.
The Bernard Jonathan Collective’s performance of “September” offers another Berklee ensemble approach to the song.
Further reading: Berklee holiday performance and source video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xbYSWcmtOg
