A new mentorship initiative from Soundscapes is giving student musicians direct access to working professionals, including guest performance slots and the chance to learn original compositions, pilotonline.com reported.
The Luminary program pairs local students with established artists who share insights, lessons and performance spaces throughout the 2026-27 program year. The first participating professional artist is Lea, a country-neo-pop-folk musician, who will feature students as guest artists at her shows and teach them one of her original works for a concert.
Four students on violin, saxophone, French horn and clarinet performed with Lea and her band at Harborfest, opening for R&B artist Patti LaBelle. The students described the experience as a collaborative team effort that highlighted the preparation and professionalism required for a major stage.
Soundscapes also holds auditions for a paid ensemble that performs at festivals, private parties, weddings and concert venues. The Luminary program extends that model by adding an experienced artist as a coach, aiming to show students that music can be a viable career path rather than only a hobby.
Future Luminary events will be announced this fall and winter, according to the report.
For more information, visit pilotonline.com.