The Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music in Salt Lake City is expanding access to rigorous pre-conservatory training for students regardless of financial circumstances, according to a release distributed by PR Underground.
Founded in 2008 by musicians Eugene and Vera Watanabe, the nonprofit school operates three programs serving different stages of music education. The GRIT Scholarship Program provides free instruments, ensemble training, Suzuki group classes and private instruction to students in Title I schools and immigrant communities across the Salt Lake valley, PR Underground reported. The Academy offers specialized individual classes and pre-professional training, while The Conservatory prepares students for admission to top music schools.
The school reported a 100% college acceptance rate among conservatory graduates, with alumni earning admission to universities including Stanford, Yale, Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, Weber and Utah State University. Graduates have also secured spots at Juilliard, Curtis Institute of Music, Colburn School and the Royal College in London, according to the release.
Vera Watanabe said the school was inspired by the state-supported conservatories of her youth in Russia, noting that intensive long-term music training was largely unavailable to American children regardless of income. Eugene Watanabe said the school’s primary purpose is to raise good citizens, adding that students who learn accountability through private instruction and collaboration in orchestras develop lasting life skills.
The school, formerly known as the Gifted Music School, plans to expand its infrastructure to offer more students access to world-class music education, PR Underground reported.
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