BOSTON, November 12, 2004 — The West Palm Beach-based Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation has issued a 2.25 million dollar challenge grant to Berklee College of Music for the college's City Music program, to provide scholarships to underprivileged, inner-city youth from the Boston area. If Berklee is able to broaden private support for City Music by 2009 and match the Foundation's gift, the College can build a permanent endowment that will annually fund 11 full-tuition scholarships for disadvantaged students. The Foundation's grant will be the single largest gift Berklee has received in its 60-year history.

Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us. From left: Malcolm Macleod, president of the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation; Ashley Rodriguez of Chelsea; Tufus Zimbabwe of Roxbury; Adonis Martin and his wife Emily; Berklee President Roger A. Brown; Berklee Assistant Vice President for Community and Governmental Affairs Curtis J. Warner. Rodriguez, Zimbabwe, and Adonis Martin are studying at Berklee with City Music scholarships. Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Berklee City Music is a mentoring and scholarship initiative that provides middle and high school students from Boston's urban neighborhoods with after-school mentoring, Saturday schooling, summer study, and, to qualifying participants, full-tuition scholarships to earn bachelor of music degrees at Berklee. Since City Music's inception in 1991, more than 500 teens have had access to a free music education.

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation has helped to develop several aspects of the City Music Program and historically is the largest donor to Berklee City Music. Foundation President Malcolm Macleod finds the City Music Program compelling because of its unique approach.

"We were attracted to Berklee City Music because it uses contemporary music to connect with disadvantaged youth while they are still in their teens," explains Macleod. "All through middle and high school, they interact with outstanding musicians and educators, take private lessons and college level courses, and perform extensively. By the time they reach college, they are well prepared to make the most of a scholarship."

Adds Berklee's Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement Marjorie O'Malley: "Berklee City Music taps into the passion young people from Boston's urban neighborhoods feel about their music and provides them with concrete tools to become better musicians. Berklee City Music inspires and supports them to pursue their music and complete high school, in part by offering them an incredible incentive: the opportunity to receive a full-tuition scholarship to attend Berklee."

Individuals, businesses, corporations, and foundations can help Berklee in meeting this challenge grant by contacting O'Malley at 617-747-2569, or at momalley@berklee.edu

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

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Allen Bush
Office of Public Information
(617) 747-2658
abush@berklee.edu