Nine Full-Tuition Scholarships Awarded at Berklee City Music Concert

Currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, the City Music program has to date awarded 274 four-year, full-tuition scholarships, totaling over $33 million.

Tori Donahue

August 9, 2023

Berklee City Music scholars — This year's City Music scholarship recipients were honored by David Bogen, Berklee's interim president and provost (far left), and Krystal P. Banfield, vice president of education outreach and social entrepreneurship (far right), at the Berklee Performance Center.

Image by Dave Green

Actor and artist Malcolm-Jamal Warner performed alongside the Berklee City Music jazz ensemble at the concert on August 8.

Image by Dave Green

Actor and poet Omari Hardwick hosted the Berklee City Music concert and scholarship presentation at the Berklee Performance Center.

Image by Dave Green

Nine young musicians from Boston and beyond have been awarded four-year, full-tuition scholarships to attend Berklee.

The scholarship recipients are all participants in Berklee City Music, a nonprofit program that delivers high-quality contemporary music education to youth from underserved communities at no or low cost. The program also includes the City Music Network, an association of 47 community organizations that serve more than 55,000 students in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America each year. Since its inception 30 years ago, Berklee City Music has awarded 274 four-year, full-tuition scholarships, totaling over $33 million.

Berklee City Music celebrated this year's scholarship recipients in a ceremony and concert on August 8 at the Berklee Performance Center. The evening was hosted by actor and poet Omari Hardwick and featured a special performance by actor and artist Malcolm-Jamal Warner with the Berklee City Music jazz ensemble. The scholarship presentation and concert marked the end of Berklee's Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive, which included 82 students attending the program on Berklee City Music Summer Scholarships.

Ahead of the concert, Berklee City Music ambassador and jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold facilitated a panel discussion with the City Music summer scholars, Warner, Hardwick, and faculty member Shirazette “She Beats” Tinnin.