Dear Friends & Donors

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Asheville Music School continues its nonprofit mission of bringing music education and healing to our community, but we need your help.

While we have worked diligently to reopen, so that our dozens of teachers can resume lessons and bring music back to the hundreds of students that we serve, the storm has left many families struggling. We are not back to 100% yet, as some remain out of town or simply don’t have the economic resources to continue lessons. Like many other area nonprofits, we are facing the economic impacts and significant fundraising challenges on all fronts — funding for our scholarship and outreach programs, as well as economic loss impacting our operating costs from the temporary closing.

This is the time of year when we normally hold in-person fundraising events. This includes a silent auction that was scheduled to support AMS programs and outreach to our community. Unfortunately, the businesses that have been our major partners (and even the business in the River Arts District that was to host our silent auction) are struggling or no longer exist. This is why we are requesting your support to help us fully bring the music back, so that we can continue to bring the healing power of music to our community.

Here is what your generous donation will support:

Scholarships

Through our Paul Thorpe Music Education Fund, we have awarded over $100,000 in needs-based scholarships for music lessons. It is a core part of our mission of keeping music education accessible to all. All the funds we raise for this program help pay our teachers (by supplementing costs to the student), while supporting the school and our local economy.

End-of-Year Fundraising Goal: $9,250

Outreach Programming

Also funded through our Paul Thorpe Music Education Fund, our Outreach Program includes a roster of rotating student ensembles, soloists, and faculty that perform for free at community sites, and for underserved and under-represented members of our community.

This program also provides important life lessons to the performing students, who reap the social benefits and personal development inherent in such an undertaking. Students can experience the pride and satisfaction that comes with contributing to the greater community.

End-of-Year Fundraising Goal: $7,500

Operations

Asheville Music School operates with a very small part-time staff that carry out the great work of running the school. This includes:

Student enrollment
Teacher retention
Managing the scholarship and outreach programs
Planning and running our large summer camp program. program.

There are overhead costs as well for our beautiful school. Without all of this, the school cannot exist.

End-of-Year Fundraising Goal: $8,250

Our end-of-year fundraising goals reflect only a portion of our annual fundraising, as we do intend to continue our spring fundraising efforts. If you have ever been impacted by the power of music, are a friend of our amazing community of students and teachers, and love the work we do, please consider giving to help us reach our end-of-year goals.

We welcome donations of any amount, because every little bit helps. We offer easy recurring ways to donate if you’d like to donate monthly. And we are able to accept legacy gifts as well. Your donation will have an impact that extends throughout our community – to not just students, but to parents and teachers, veterans and many other underserved populations, and to our local economy as well.

If you’d like to do a one-time donation, please donate here on this Givebutter platform.

To inquire about a recurring or legacy donation, please email Executive Director Ryan Reardon at ryan@ashevillemusicschool.org

“The act of playing music became a form of therapy, where I could channel my pain and frustration into something beautiful.” Aiden Mitchell, AMS student, age 14

“Music didn’t just change my life, it transformed it. Without music, I wouldn’t have my best friends, that I can relate to more than anyone else my age.” Cadence Corcoran, AMS student, age 14

AMS Post-Helene Fundraising

Help Asheville Music School recover and get back to the MUSIC!

Team Members