14 new musicians join 16 seasoned musicians to create six bands
Academy of Musical Performance (AMP) announced their 5th year of summer camp with a lineup which includes 14 new musicians joining 16 seasoned musicians from 18 Coachella Valley schools aged 11-18. They will form six bands which will change each week of the three-week camp held at Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert from July 8 – 26, 2019.
AMP is known for its outstanding summer music camp, featuring the Valley’s top musicians teaching, in small rock band format, performance and concert production skills through rehearsals, workshops, individual instruction, and live performances. A year-round after school program was added after the 2016 summer camp to provide instruction and performance opportunities all year round at a variety of events in our community.
Will Sturgeon, AMP Executive Director is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrument artist and award-winning producer, who has been the Music Director since 2016 and has been involved since AMP’s inception. “With this program, we have created a community of peers in their formidable teenage years, where maybe they felt they were different or misunderstood, but in AMP, they shine. For many, they had never played music together with another person until joining AMP, so this program is transformative and essential by giving young people a safe space in which to create, communicate, and collaborate.” He says. Sturgeon was born and raised in the Coachella Valley and is a graduate of USC Thornton School of Music’s Division of Contemporary Music and Boston University’s Masters in Music Education program.
AMP is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization led by a dedicated board of directors which includes Camille Arujo, Clayton Baldwin, Daniel Duardo, Bruce Feagle, Michele Penn, Cherise Sonderman, Kate Spates, Greg Vincent, Roman Whittaker, Maria Wren and joining them this summer is Stephanie Greene, long time sponsor and donor.
The organization relies on grants, sponsors and private donations to keep the tuition low as well as provide full scholarships for over half of the young musicians who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend. “The community continues to impress us with their investment in AMP. We have applied and received several grants from organizations interested in programs such as ours that make a difference in the youth of our community. For the last three years, we have saved enough money by having our summer camp lunches sponsored each day and a number of individuals who are truly inspired by what we have created who donate regularly,” states Kate Spates, co-founder, Board President and Volunteer CEO.
The summer camp culminates with a fundraising showcase performance on Saturday, July 27, 2019 from 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m at Hope Lutheran Church, 45900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert. Tickets are available online at www.ampcv.org at $5 for kids under 12 and $10 for adults or $15 at the door. Food and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase along with raffle prizes.
For more information about Academy of Musical Performance visit www.ampcv.org or call 760-537-5AMP (5267).
