PHOTO PROVIDED Uptown Music Collective students pose for a fun photo with a variety of instruments.

The Uptown Music Collective’s winter enrollment week begins on Dec. 12 and runs until Dec. 17, the music school announced recently via press release.

Enrollment is open for both in-person and virtual private lessons on guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards and drums. The winter semester will begin on Jan. 9, 2023, and will run for 15 weeks.

The winter semester will see the continuation of in-person classes and workshops for students, as well as the Adult Music Program, known as “AMP.” This program is intended for those who wish that the Collective had been around when they were younger. AMP is specifically designed with adult students in mind, while still applying the Collective’s renowned music curriculum, the release said.

Classes and workshops are offered at no additional charge to those students enrolled in private lessons at the Collective.

“The Collective is always enrolling for private lessons,” said Jared Mondell, UMC assistant executive director. “Our enrollment weeks are the best time to get involved, but our doors are always open to those who want to connect with music.”

While the school is dedicated to providing a well-rounded education to students of all ages, it focuses many of its programs on students 8 to 18 years old. The Uptown Music Collective is known for its positive peer group, inspiring teachers and a diverse multitude of performance opportunities, according to the press release.

“I’ve loved music ever since I was little, but never had the opportunity to get involved with it,” said Leah Batman, UMC senior student. “That was until I heard about the Collective at the age of 8 and my world turned upside-down. Over the years, my love of music has grown from a hobby into a passion, and it is now what I want to do for the rest of my life. That is all thanks to the Collective.

“It has given me opportunities most kids my age could never dream of, and it has taught me so much about music and life. It broke me out of my shell at a very young age and has since shaped me into the person I am today,” Batman said. “Over the past nine years, the Collective has been a lot of work, but, if you ask me, I’d say it’s definitely worth it!”

Throughout the Collective’s 2023 winter semester, its wildly popular performance program will be in full swing on the stage at the Community Arts Center in downtown Williamsport.

Upcoming shows include “Friends in Low Places: The Music of Garth Brooks & The Women of ’90s Country” on Jan. 28, “Free Bird: A Tribute to Southern Rock” on March 10 and 11, and “The Show Must Go On: The Music of Queen” on April 28 and 29. Tickets are on sale now at caclive.com.

Even though the Collective is known for highly talented student performers, there is no previous experience needed to enroll and take lessons. There are currently openings for students of all levels who are looking for private instruction. The school also offers financial assistance upon request and scholarship opportunities each year, the release said.

“The school feels strongly about the role of music in creating well-rounded, thoughtful young people, and works to establish characteristics like self-discipline and personal responsibility in each of its students through healthy habits such as practice and self-control,” according to the press release. “Uptown Music Collective students consistently perform at high levels not only musically, but also in their respective schools and as valuable members of other community organizations.”

For more information, call 570-329-0888, email Brendan Mondell at brendan@uptownmusic.org, or visit the Collective at www.uptownmusic.org