Launch of the 2011 Burt Harris Memorial Scholarships Program

We are pleased to announce the launch of our 2011 Burt Harris Memorial Scholarship program!

Starting in 2006 with initial funding through The Beat 94.5 FM this scholarship was built to award music education scholarships to needy students for private and institutional music programs.

The scholarship was named after Burt Harris, a music lawyer and fierce advocate for music and musicians, who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Burt’s passion for all things music will be carried on through this scholarship program.

Through fundraising and generous donations from the public, we help students and individuals gain one on one musical instruction from a professional instructor and assist them in working toward a brighter future with confidence and passion, be it a profession in music or otherwise. We believe that the gift of music for these students will benefit the community beyond the music sector, as they take their dedication for playing music, and apply that same dedication and passion to the rest of their lives.

In the past, this program has been fortunate enough to receive funding from Tegan & Sara, who were former clients of Burt. They assembled a limited edition CD of their initial demo versions of The Con, and sold them while on tour. Proceeds from the sale of this album were donated to the Music BC Charitable Foundation’s scholarship program.

This year we will award a $500 scholarship to help pay for private instruction in Canada for a musical instrument/vocal coach.

We will also award a $1000 scholarship award to help pay for tuition for a music program at a recognized post-secondary institution.

This program is not for career training for positions in the music industry, so no applications for funding for an entertainment business management program, etc will be eligible.

For further details on how to apply, please surf to: http://musicbcfoundation.org/burt-harris-memorial-scholarship/

The deadlines for this program are Oct.30th, 2011 for Private Tuition and Nov. 15th, 2011 for Post-Secondary studies.

If you are a school administrator, counselor or teacher and would like an information package, please email info@musicbcfoundation.org

Best of luck to all our talented applicants!

Shore 104.3 FM Adopt an Instrument Program to Donate to Carnegie Center

On Saturday, May 21st at 1:30pm, Shore 104.3 FM and the Music BC Charitable Foundation will be dropping off donated musical instruments for the Oppenheimer Park music group, as part of the Shore 104.3 FM Adopt an Instrument program. The Oppenheimer Park music  program is administered by Sandy McKeigan of Carnegie Community Center and Oppenheimer Park Recreation, who describes the gatherings as musical jams that are well attended by the community and often draw a crowd of both participants and audience members to this central hub of the DTES.

Just one of the great efforts to revitalize Oppenheimer Park and breathe new life and community spirit into the DTES, this worthy group contacted Music BC seeking donations of musical instruments. We would like to facilitate opening up this request to the community at large.

The center has expressed a need for  acoustic and electric instruments, and can use guitars, basses, keyboards and amplifiers. If you have an instrument you would like to donate they can be dropped off at Shore 104.3 FM office (225 West 8th Ave 3rd Floor) or Long & McQuade (368 Terminal Avenue). Music BC Charitable Foundation is also accepting cash donations to be used towards the purchase of instruments for this drop (just click the “Donate” button on your right to donate funds via credit card/ PayPal and indicate you would like to donate to Adopt an Instrument).

If you are unable to  drop off your instrument please contact the Music BC Charitable Foundation and we will arrange pick-up for suitable items (no grand pianos please!)

For media and all other requests please contact Rebecca@musicbc.org 604-873-1198.

Go to the Oppenheimer Park facebook page to see pics and find out about current events.

This event is sponsored by:

University Highlands on October 4th

The Music BC Charitable Foundation has chosen univeristy Highlands Elementary School as their latest recipient for the ‘Adopt an Instrument” Program.

On Monday, October 4th, a presentation ceremony will take place in the school’s library celebrating the generous gift collection of new musical instruments for Burnaby’s newest elementary school.

Vancouver aritst Carly Rae Jepsen will be performing live for the students, giving them an opportunity to see and meet a local success story of just what can become of a passion and love for music.

“Musical Education benefits students in so many ways.  It is proven to help the growth of young minds, can provide an outlet to youth, and can help teach life skills.  With these instruments, we are proud to help the students of University Highlands develop these skills,” said Bob D’Eith, Executive Director of The Music BC Charitable Foundation.

The Music BC Charitable Foundation’s “Adopt an Instrument” program is dedicated to putting instruments into schools throughout the province, supplementing the existing music programs to assure that every student has access to an instrument.  With University Highlands, the goal has been to assist with the starting point that students have from the first moment they step into a music classroom