LIHU‘E — Will Lydgate, the Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship Fund and the Kaua‘i Concert Association have officially announced the 2013 Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship. The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music’s Five-Week Summer Performance
LIHU‘E — Will Lydgate, the Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship Fund and the Kaua‘i Concert Association have officially announced the 2013 Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship.
The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music’s Five-Week Summer Performance Program July 6 through Aug. 9. Applications from local musicians ages 15 to 18 are due by April 5.
For more information email kauaischolarship@gmail.com or call Will Lydgate at 651-0302.
First, tell our readers how the Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship was formed?
Will Lydgate: I attended the five-week summer performance program at Berklee College of Music the summer after I graduated from Island School. There, I met Professor Stephen Webber. Stephen designed a beautiful recording studio facility for us on Kaua‘i. After doing some composing for his Stylus Symphony at our place, he had the idea for the Berklee Steelgrass Residency, a program that brings Berklee faculty to Kaua‘i to perform and record music and enjoy the island. Together, we had the idea to create a Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship to further the connection between Berklee and Kaua‘i. And a perfect opportunity for some Kaua‘i kids to really hone their talent. In 2010, we began to fundraise through the Kaua‘i Concert Association’s annual Berklee Concert in January and other events I put on. And here we are, announcing the scholarship.
How would you describe the Berklee College of Music Five-Week Summer Performance Program?
WL: The five-week was life changing for me. To go from sleepy Kaua‘i to the big city of Boston, for music, it really got my gears turning. It activated my dreams and my musical ears. I was exposed to many new musical friends and I discovered so much new music. During those five weeks I became a life-long musician.
What can the Kaua‘i musician selected for the premier scholarship expect to take away from the experience?
WL: Five weeks of world class contemporary music education that will include ear training, harmony, jam sessions, ensembles in all styles, private lessons and clinics from world-renowned performers. Best of all, you’ll be with 1,000 musicians your age from over 70 different countries across the globe.
Who is eligible and what will you be looking for in the video portion of the application?
WL: It’s open to Kaua‘i musicians ages 15 to 18. We will be looking for performing and songwriting skills. Do what you do the best. Individuality and maturity, musical and otherwise, will be a factor. Have fun and show us what you’ve got! Talk a little bit about yourself in the video, so the selection board can get to know you. The final decision for this scholarship will be made at Berklee College of Music in Boston. The due date for submissions is April 4, so get them in soon at kauaischolarship@gmail.com.
I understand that tuition, airfare and housing will all be provided for the lucky recipient. Where does the funding for all this come from?
WL: Anyone who has come to the Berklee concert put on by KCA every January has contributed to this scholarship. We have also had support from private donors, whose contributions have allowed us to come this far.
How would you describe the partnership between Berklee and the island of Kaua‘i?
WL: It all started with me meeting Stephen Webber. It expanded to a relationship between Steelgrass Recording Studio and the college. It then expanded to include Ke Kula Ni‘ihau o Kekaha and the KCA. KKCR, KQNG and FM97 have all helped us. Now everyone on Kaua‘i can be a part of it through this scholarship fund and the experiences of the recipients coming back home. I have spoken with Mayor Bernard Carvalho and (County Spokeswoman) Beth Tokioka in the past and am hoping for some county involvement with the scholarship. It would be nice to acknowledge Berklee officially. I think it’s a real win-win. Onward and upward, the rising tide raises all ships.
What do you think the future holds for the Berklee Kaua‘i Scholarship program. Do you have plans to send additional students?
WL: I see this program getting bigger and bigger. I’d like to see cultural exchange going both ways between Kaua‘i and Berklee. I want them to feel us and hear our story. Endowing this scholarship will ensure that it can continue in perpetuity. I need all the help I can get to do this. I am looking for a matching donor for a fundraiser I’ll be holding this summer.
I know this is something you have personally been working on for a long time. How does it feel to officially announce the opportunity available to Kaua‘i youth?
WL: Wow, it feels incredible to be making this announcement. I would have loved something like this when I was in high school. So incredibly stoked that someone is going to get this.
Would you say that Kaua‘i is a hotbed for musical talent?
WL: Yes, definitely. Kaua‘i has tons of raw talent. For me, it’s just about refining that talent. I teach the high standards of the music industry to my students. It’s a big world out there and we can learn a lot from it. Kaua‘i has something to teach them and they have some great things to teach us.
Having attended the program yourself, what advice do you have for the scholarship recipient? Anything must-sees or must-dos in Boston?
WL: Have fun over there! Catch some Italian food and Gelato in the north end. See as many BPC (Berklee Performance Center) shows as you can. Attend all of your classes and lessons. Take copious notes. Bring a hand held recorder and record everything so you can listen back. Take a swim in the Atlantic Ocean. Friend everyone you meet on Facebook. Treat your professors like future friends, most of mine are. Everyone is going to love that you are from Hawai‘i, invite them to visit us.
