Celebrating the power of words to stimulate, agitate, unite, delight, and inspire, the Boston Book Festival presents year-round events culminating in an annual festival that promotes a culture of reading and ideas and enhances the vibrancy of our city.

Announcing our 2023 Keynotes & Headliners

They’re creatives and change-makers, New York Times bestsellers, award winners, storytellers and social commentators… Get to know the headliners for BBF 2023.

The Berklee Festival Stage featuring the following acts:

Shan Kam
Performance Time: 11am – 12pm

When Shan graces the stage, radiant energy emanates from her dynamic performances. “She is the light, the sun of stage.” With deep, poetic lyrics to match her substantial jazz/rock-inspired arrangements, it’s no wonder why she is called “Shan, the Shine.”

Born and raised in an artistic family from China, Shan was exposed to art at a very young age. She learned to play the Chinese traditional instrument erhu before she started to play the piano at the age of five. Her classical training laid the solid foundation for developing her overall technique. Influenced heavily by British rock music and jazz in her teenage years, she started to draw inspirations from the giants before her, from Radiohead to Bach, and Frank Zappa to Charlie Parker. She has become the tailor of these two styles of music, weaving from her contemplations in life. She writes for motivation to spark change, to empower every individual to think.

Pavle Zvekic
Performance Time: 12pm – 1pm

Pavle Zvekic is a Serbian musician accomplished in several areas, including composition, piano performance, and band leadership. He has been the founder and managing director of The Youth Jazz & Rock Festival since 2018. Presently, Zvekic is pursuing a Master’s degree at the renowned Berklee Global Jazz Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

Yae-Seul Kim
Performance Time: 1pm – 2pm

Pianist Srisley (Yae-Seul Kim) will perform her original compositions as well as Latin-inspired music. She is also influenced by Michel Camilo and covers his songs. When she was 11, she made her KBS (Korea Broadcasting System) debut with Chopin Fantasie Impromptu. She also completed a Master’s thesis titled “A Study of the Afro-Cuban Piano Performance Method in Michel Camilo’s Music.” She performed in Seoul as Srisley solo, trio, and quartet.

Anna Kornis
Performance Time: 2pm – 3pm

Hungarian-born artist Anna Kornis is a breath of fresh air for the pop genre. Drawing inspiration from Tate McRae, Ruel, and Sabrina Carpenter, Anna’s music maintains memorable melodies and relatable lyrics with a sound that embodies the current pop soundscape—all while introducing a personal flare. Beyond captivating hooks, the music speaks to Anna’s personal experiences, in hopes of enlightening her fanbase. The young artist is currently on scholarship at Berklee College of Music, honing her craft with a focus on songwriting. Anna’s music can be found on all streaming platforms.

Melissa Mandel
Performance Time: 3pm – 4pm

Melissa, a passionate performer and businesswoman, has been recently recognized for her business prowess, earning a Music Business Association Scholarship and a Spring 2023 Music Business Department Award for her expertise in leadership running the Berklee Music Business Club. As a versatile multi-genre performer, studying as a dual major in music business and performance, Melissa has graced the world stage from Austria, Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, and at home in Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and Harvard as a National Anthem singer for the Ivy League Swim Championships. Heavily inspired by the music of the 70s and 80s and the likes of The Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Cyndi Lauper, Melissa aims to breathe fresh life into the music of that era through her deeply emotive vocal timbre and strong musical presence that connects her with audiences as she carries on the legacy of her musical family—professional wedding band musicians and school music educators.

Sampson Piermattei
Performance Time: 4pm – 5pm

Hi, welcome to the Samposium. We are musicians from all over the world who have bonded together in Boston to play music. The lovely Jessica Linden is our lead vocalist, Jaime Rodriguez shreds on guitar, Yuki lays down the bass, Isaiah Rowe is a beast on the drums, and our leader Sampson tickles them ivories. We play a range of rock and alternate music. If you like Van Halen, Billie Eilish, or anyone in between, we’re the band for you! If you like our music please reach out and say hi – most of us don’t bite.

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023

Time: 10am – 6pm

Location: Copley Square Between Boylston Street and St. James, Boston, MA

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