Investing in “Full-Ride” Musical Experiences for PCM’s Young Artists
This summer, a group of extraordinary PCM students are packing their bags –and leaving on a jet plane – to attend prestigious music intensives across the country! Thanks to our community’s support, these 2025 PCM Summer Immersion Scholars have earned the opportunity to spend their summer at top-tier programs like Berklee College of Music’s Aspire Five-Week Intensive in Boston, Arizona State University’s Popular Music Summer Camp in Phoenix, and Musicians Institute’s Summer Shot in Los Angeles. Imagine SIX students from Phoenix stepping onto Berklee’s campus in Boston, surrounded by talented peers from around the world, ready to learn from Berklee’s world-class faculty. During this same summer, two more PCM teens will be jamming in ASU’s cutting-edge downtown music studios, writing songs and producing tracks under the mentorship of industry professionals. And out in Los Angeles, two more PCM scholars will spend a week living the life of a young musician in Hollywood – taking classes by day and performing by night on the famous Musician’s Institute stage.
For these ambitious young artists, the summer of 2025 will be a turning point. Each intensive program offers so much more than lessons on an instrument; it’s a complete immersion in a musical life. At Black, Brown and Bound for Berklee, Armani Fabrizius will spend 3 days learning about the campus, getting industry workshops, and learning how to be more ready to tackle upcoming auditions. During Berklee’s Aspire: Five-Week, our FIVE students will experience a college-like regimen of classes and rehearsals, choose electives ranging from songwriting to music production, and even earn college credit while discovering new genres and techniques. In the evenings, they’ll attend concerts and jam sessions, rubbing shoulders with aspiring musicians from dozens of countries – a cultural and creative exchange that broadens horizons. Three of our students are there as Berklee City Music Summer Scholars (Sebastien Swensen, Gabi Pinilla, and Cydney Williford). PCM provides full support for room, board and travel. Two of PCM’s students (Lisette Chairez and Arianna “Giselle” Chang) received outside full ride sponsorship from local corporations!!! At ASU’s Popular Music Camp, our two Phoenix-based scholars (Brooklyn Nichols and Mercedes Rodriguez) will explore the art of performance, songwriting, audio engineering and music entrepreneurship in a state-of-the-art facility stocked with the latest technology. By day they’ll collaborate in bands, record in professional studios, and get real-world advice from veteran songwriters and producers; by night they’ll get a taste of college dorm life and campus events, building independence and confidence. Meanwhile, at MI’s Summer Shot in Hollywood, PCM students (Amayah Sanders and AJ Lizarraga) will dive into an “unforgettable music experience,” playing music all day long and learning from award-winning instructors who have worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. Whether focusing on instrumental performance or music production, they will be challenged to take their skills to the next level.
It’s hard to overstate how transformative these experiences will be. Our PCM scholars have spent years honing their craft in weekly lessons and ensembles; now they’ll test their skills on a much bigger stage. They will return to Phoenix with newfound confidence, maturity, and inspiration. As one music educator observed about summer music camps, students often start out hesitant, but by the end “their confidence is boosted, they are feeling more empowered” to perform and take risks. Immersed in these intensive programs, our students will be challenged to lead, to collaborate, to adapt to new styles – all of which builds resilience and self-assurance. They’ll also gain practical skills that extend beyond music. Teamwork, communication, and discipline are natural outcomes of working closely with bandmates and instructors in a rigorous schedule. And the simple experience of living away from home – navigating dorm life, managing their time, meeting new people – gives them a taste of college independence that will make the transition to higher education much smoother. In short, when these young musicians apply for college music programs in the future, they will stand out not only for their musical talent but for their growth, leadership, and preparedness. These summer intensives are helping them become college-ready artists with a vision for their future.
None of this would be possible without your support and the ecosystem PCM has built. PCM’s College Prep Program is the pipeline that has prepared these students to seize such opportunities – from refining their technique to coaching them through the audition and application process. But equally important, our donor community stepped up to remove the financial barriers that often accompany programs of this caliber. The tuition for each scholar’s summer program is generously provided by our partners (Berklee City Music, ASU, and Musicians Institute) in the form of scholarships. However, that’s only half the story. Airfare, ground transportation, dormitory fees, and meal plans can add up to thousands of dollars – costs that would be prohibitive for many of our students’ families. That’s where Phoenix Conservatory of Music, fueled by donor contributions, fills the gap. We are proud to say that “while tuition is covered by the partners, travel, room and board are covered by PCM” making each of these summer intensives a completely full-ride experience for our scholars. When we call them “Summer Immersion Scholars,” we truly mean that 100% of their expenses are taken care of. For example, a gift of roughly $400 can cover a round-trip flight to Boston for a student’s Berklee program, and $4,000 can underwrite a scholar’s room and board for a multi-week summer intensive. Those costs are not abstract numbers – they’re plane tickets, dorm beds, and dining hall meals that you, our supporters, have provided to ensure a young musician can say “yes” to an opportunity that will absolutely change their life.
PCM’s mission has always been to provide high-quality music education and experiences that are affordable and accessible. This summer’s scholars are living proof of that mission in action. These students come from diverse backgrounds and would not have had access to Berklee, ASU, or MI’s programs on their own. But through PCM, they found a musical community that nurtured their talent, and through our donors, they found the financial backing to reach beyond their circumstances. When they step onto those faraway campuses, they carry with them the hopes and pride of their families, their teachers, and every supporter who believes in them. And when they come back, they won’t be coming back alone – they’ll bring new knowledge to share with their peers, new inspiration for our younger students, and a ripple effect of ambition that will lift our entire PCM community.
To our donors reading this: thank you for making stories like this possible. You’ve invested in these young people’s potential, and now we get to watch them soar. Remember, your support does more than fund music lessons – it helps students graduate, find college opportunities, and grow in confidence. PCM has always believed that music can change lives, and here we see that belief realized: because of music, these students are heading to college, winning scholarships, and transforming into leaders. As we celebrate their successes, we’re also looking ahead. There are more aspiring young musicians out there in our community with big dreams and limited resources. With your help, we can open doors for them too, one note at a time. Help us provide more experiences like this to students — if you have never donated- become a donor today. If you haven’t given a gift recently- please consider reinvesting into our students and our community. Together, let’s continue to give the gift of music and opportunity to every student who dares to dream.
