Berklee Strengthens 18 Local School Music Programs with Faculty, Equipment

The Berklee City Music Faculty Outreach Program brings world-class musical instruction to youth in 18 Boston area schools. For nearly a decade, Berklee faculty and alumni have provided support to existing music programs with teaching assistance as well as curricula, computers, recording equipment, instruments, and in-house faculty development to aid music teachers in giving youngsters early access to college-level training and preparation. Today, Berklee invests more than $350,000 in the program, whose 29 teachers serve close to 1,000 youth in 17 Boston public schools and one charter school.

On Saturday, May 17, at 2:00 p.m., at the Berklee Performance Center, students from 10 of the 18 partner schools will perform a wide selection of music, from pop and classic rock to jazz, at the Berklee City Music Faculty Outreach Concert, an annual celebration of the end of a successful academic year. The performance, and the preparation leading up to it, gives participating students the chance to experience the intricate details of a professional concert, from sound-check to the green room. The public is invited to attend for free.

Schools participating in the concert include Boston Arts Academy, Community Academy of Science and Health, Edison K-8 School, English High, the Harbor School, Jackson-Mann K-8 School, Nativity Preparatory School, William H. Ohrenberger School, Roland Hayes School of Music, and Warren Prescott K-8 School. Other schools in Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Charlestown, Roslindale, and Mattapan also participate in the Faculty Outreach Program.

Liz Lupton is a publicist in Berklee's Office of Media Relations. Media inquiries: llupton@berklee.edu.