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The future headliners for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival may very well be playing at a local church.
A group of desert students are spending their summer learning contemporary music through the Academy of Musical Performance or AMP. But the program is losing its main donor Goldenvoice after the event promoters donated over half a million dollars in the past three years.
Karaina Perkins has been a part of AMP since it began, she said, “Most classes you take in school focuses more on the classical and like technical aspects of music and I think AMP focuses a lot more on working with others and really putting on a good show.”
Perkins said she is excited to show her musical talents during the final AMP showcase at the Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert.
Another AMP member who hopes the music program returns in the future is Lauren Varela.
She hopes the community can step up and fill in the monetary void left by Goldenvoice.
Varela said, “We don’t have to pay anything so the kids who can’t afford to get music lessons or to perform at all, they get this opportunity and it’s really a great thing.”
The director of AMP said the event promoters will re-direct their philanthropic efforts elsewhere in the valley, but KMIR News has not received the details from Goldenvoice yet.
But with the showcase’s strong audience turn-out, AMP students hope it is an indication for what’s to come.
Band member of Will’s Revenge, Tiffany Campbell said, “Eventually, hopefully they make it for more people to join because it is a great program and I think a lot of kids should have the opportunity to join it.”
You may learn more on how to support the Academy of Musical Performance on their website.