Seeing a pathway to excel in musical pursuits
Established in 2020, Bull City Performing Arts (BCPA) is the nonprofit arm of the Bull City Music School. Founder and Executive Director Jeanetta Hopkins created BCPA to close the equity gap in access to music lessons and opportunities. The nonprofit allows her to raise scholarships and other funding to engage students from modest means in music education. “Breaking barriers to success” is at the heart of the organization.
The Summer Piano Institute, designed for intermediate- to advanced-level piano students, includes in-depth piano studies, the history of music, masterclasses, and a final recital. “Access to the Keys,” an afterschool program, offers four levels of training depending on the student’s years of experience, allowing everyone at every level to grow and gain more skill and knowledge. Students in this program are given all necessary materials and instruction, eliminating the financial barrier that often keeps children from exploring an interest in music.
Recently added is the Bull City String Ensemble, in which students receive coaching and side-by-side teaching with the Verona Quartet, the Ensemble-in-Residence with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. Students are exposed to an array of musical diversity, from classical European music, to world music, to more contemporary sounds.
An end goal for the Bull City Music School is for students to see a pathway to excel in musical pursuits. “When our students, our musicians, see that level of music and training that they didn’t think they could have access to, it’s an ‘aha’ moment,” says Hopkins.