Visiting the Beach, Busking in Vermont

The Keith R. Johnson Summer Scholarship helps students in seventh through tenth grades participate in summer camps across the country. It is made possible through a partnership between SOUNDS Academy and AZ MusicFest. To be eligible, students must be accepted into a summer camp, have an 85% attendance rate at SOUNDS Academy, and have completed five volunteer hours.

Students apply with essays on why they are the right person to receive the scholarship, why they want to attend a specific summer camp, and a letter of recommendation. For students this young, completing the application itself is an accomplishment. Please give a standing ovation to this year’s winners, Praise and Zachariah.

Praise: Growing through Chamber Music

Praise attended Madeleine Island Chamber Music in Michigan for three weeks to study viola performance in a chamber music setting. “I appreciated this opportunity because I enjoy chamber music more than large-scale orchestra. This gave me the chance to focus on my passion and become better at playing with a small group,” she said.

Every day, she received solo lessons and chamber group coaching from experts from around the world skilled in every stringed instrument that makes up a quartet. Her chamber group also performed a public concert and had a masterclass with ensembles-in-residence every week.

When asked which SOUNDS Academy character values she used the most at camp, her immediate response was, “Teamwork. “It was a chamber music camp, so I had to use teamwork when working with my group.”

Next, she mentioned perseverance. “We had never met each other before, so that first week was uncomfortable and hard. I used perseverance to get through that difficult time, because I knew we would get better.” And she was right.

“I felt like our first performance was only about playing the notes and finishing the song. In our last performance, we communicated better, were more comfortable with each other, and had a lot of fun.” Praise discovered firsthand that music is not just about notes; it is also about communication, emotion, expression, and more.

One way Praise got more comfortable with her group was by spending time with them outside of rehearsals and performances. “We had a wide range of options to choose from in our free time. I especially liked going to the beach and chatting with my roommates. On the last day, we got to go cliff jumping and watch the sunset. The girls in my cottage set up a group chat, and we still communicate.

She looks forward to using the skills she practiced in SOUNDS Academy this year, especially when she’s playing with students in The Collective.

Zachariah: Building Musicianship Through Chamber Music

Zachariah attended the Green Mountain Music Chamber Festival in Vermont to study cello performance in a chamber group setting. This month-long festival includes daily concerts, solo and group lessons with experts from around the world, and students from middle school through graduate school.

“I wanted to go to this festival because I heard there were really great teachers, and I knew there would be older students that I could talk with about future ideas and opportunities.” While there, he especially appreciated the free time to practice with others, attend concerts, and explore nearby Burlington, Vermont.

Similar to Praise, Zachariah also relied on the SOUNDS Academy character values of teamwork and perseverance. “Since we were in a chamber group and did not have too many scheduled group rehearsals, we had to talk with each other to find times and locations to rehearse together. We also had to have a lot of perseverance because we were practicing for more than five hours a day, and that got tiring,” he said. 

Thanks to his deep commitment to time and to his group, Zachariah was amazed at how much their final performance improved compared to their first rehearsal.

Perhaps one of the most fun and unexpected activities that Zachariah participated in at this festival was busking. “I went to downtown Burlington with a group of people and a few different instruments. We went to a street that didn’t allow cars and took turns performing. Many people stopped to listen, and we made $130 in two days. It was fun,” he said. Zachariah is a musician and an entrepreneur. This is surely the beginning of bigger things.

The Impact of a Summer Music Experience

Praise and Zachariah’s summer experiences gave them opportunities to challenge themselves, work with new musicians, build relationships, and grow as artists. They learned that music education extends beyond technical skills.

Through chamber music, both students strengthened their ability to communicate, collaborate, persevere, and grow in confidence. They are excited to bring what they learned back to SOUNDS Academy and share their experiences with other students.

Celebrating Praise and Zachariah

We are proud to celebrate Praise and Zachariah and their accomplishment this summer, and we are grateful to everyone who supports programs like ours that invest in the growth and development of young musicians. Their dedication, teamwork, and perseverance made their summer experiences meaningful, and we look forward to seeing where those qualities take them next. 

Congratulations, Praise and Zachariah!