Aspire: Five Week Music Performance Intensive

Local Students Sponsored for
Berklee College of Music Program 

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center welcomes back Five Students from Five-Week Music Performance Intensive 

According to Berklee College of Music, “Aspire: Five Week Music Performance Intensive” is the world’s most comprehensive summer music performance program and draws musicians and performers from more than 70 countries. This year, five students from Southwestern Pennsylvania were among them after being awarded scholarships under the partnership between Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and City Music Boston.  

Since 2010, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center in Midland, PA has been a member of the City Music Network, a Berklee based music and performance arts consortium that consists of over 40 community organizations across the United States and Canada committed to delivering high-quality music instruction to youth. These organizations have access to Berklee scholarships, programs, resources, and support. Over the last 13 years, the partnership between Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and City Music Network has awarded 42 scholarships that value over $1,585,437 to young musicians.   

While in Boston, the students attended classes, workshops, labs, and private instruction by Berklee’s world-class faculty and special guests. The program culminated in a final week of concerts where students get to perform and showcase their newly gained skills for the faculty, friends, and family. This year the five students were –  

Ella Heasley, 11th grade voice major
Layla Cline, 11th grade voice major 
Dannie Holmes, 11th grade musical theatre major
Ashley Yankello, 10th grade voice major 
Olivia Huval, 11th grade musical theatre major 

“This 5-week music intensive is a huge opportunity for these young musicians, it’s a once-in-a lifetime experience to truly immerse themselves in their craft and learn from the best of the best,” says Mark Elder, Chief Operations Officer at Lincoln Park and coordinator of the City Music Network partnership. “We are so proud of these five students; they embody our mission of making arts education accessible and affordable for our community.”