As the City of Reading continues its path towards community and economic revitalization, the Reading Musical Foundation (RMF) is carving a way for young, local musicians to build professional experience while giving back to their community.
Through the organization’s new Summer Residency Program, college students from Berks County majoring in music, and already on scholarship with the RMF, craft a music-based community service project to execute in Berks over the summer. In exchange for 50 hours of community service, the students receive scholarship awards up to $2,500.
The projects are designed by the students to showcase their individual skills, strengths, and interests in music.
According to Keri Shultz, Executive Director of the RMF, “We were purposeful in not putting too many parameters around the program (requirements), because I knew… from working with these students, if you open the world to them, they’re going to exceed any kind of expectations that you put in place.”
The participating students, Cormick Costello, Anna Gutzler, Eliza Karpiak, Kamil Karpiak, and Evan Nygard, have exceeded expectations, committing to several projects, including, but not limited to:
- Music advocacy research and articles via interviews with educators/students and needs assessments
- Music lessons and masterclasses
- Assisting in area summer music programs
- Workshops and Q&A sessions for high school musicians and
- Small area performances and benefit concerts
After finding that many of the students’ skills and interests overlap, they have also committed to a group project: a multi-date benefit concert to be performed across Berks County. While the details of the concerts are yet to be announced, the public can anticipate the cumulative work of Berks County’s hidden musical gems, which is in part the goal of the Summer Residency Program.
“Students are being creative in designing programs, and Berks County gets the best of what these music schools have to offer by bringing these students back, taking what they learn in college and implementing it here over the summer,” Shultz said.
The program also offers opportunities for students to connect with professionals in the local music community, providing professional experiences and resume boosters after graduating college.
The Summer Residency Program was created to find new ways to bring young talent back to Berks.
After Shultz reached out to an RMF-Twin Valley graduate (now studying Organ at West Chester University), the student updated Schultz about the various performances and tutoring lessons that he had been doing across the state.
Realizing that most high school graduates who receive scholarships from the RMF rarely come back to Berks, Schultz went to the Board of Directors and Scholarship Committee to propose what would become the Summer Residency Program.
The Foundation put aside funding for four students but admitted five due to their high-quality applications.
By the end of the summer, the students will have achieved over 250 hours of community service and made connections that will hopefully bring them back to the area after graduation. The RMF hopes to continue the program and see more competitiveness in service project proposals.
The Reading Musical Foundation “is a public charity that provides financial support for music presenters in Berks County, music scholarships by audition and in response to financial need, and extensive music outreach, including programs in most of Berks County’s public and parochial schools.”
For more information about the RMF and the Summer Residency Program, go to readingmusicalfoundation.org or contact Keri Shultz at [email protected].
