Go beyond music at the Uptown Music Collective!

The collective’s winter enrollment week begins on Monday and runs until Dec. 15, according to a press release from the school.

Enrollment is open for in-person and virtual private lessons on guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards and drums. Even though the collective is known for highly talented student performers, no experience is necessary to enroll at the collective, and the school welcomes students at all levels of ability.

The Winter Semester will begin on Jan. 8, 2024, and will run for 15 weeks.

The semester will see the continuation of the Adult Music Program, known as “AMP.” This program is intended for those who wish the collective had been around when they were younger. AMP is designed specifically with adult students in mind, while still applying the collective’s renowned music curriculum.

“The collective enrolls for private lessons year-round,” said Jared Mondell, UMC assistant executive director. “But our enrollment weeks are the best time to get involved and take full advantage of our free class and workshop initiative. Students who enroll during our enrollment weeks can take part in classes and workshops at no additional cost.”

For more than 23 years, the Uptown Music Collective has grown from what many once called “the best-kept secret in the Williamsport area” to one of the area’s most highly respected nonprofit educational organizations.

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 diverse performance opportunities. The school also offers financial assistance upon request and scholarship opportunities each year.

“I loved music ever since I was little, but never had the opportunity to get involved with it,” said Leah Batman, UMC alum and current freshman at Berklee College of Music. “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 gave me opportunities most kids my age could never dream of and 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.”

Throughout the collective’s 2024 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 The Decade of Grunge on Jan. 27, Rattle and Hum: A Celebration of U2 and Irish Rock on Mar. 16, and Fleetwood Mac: Rumours and Other Stories on April 26 and 27.

Tickets for the January show are on sale now at the CAC’s website, caclive.com. Rattle and Hum & Rumours tickets will be available in the coming weeks.

The school feels strongly about the role of music in creating well-rounded, thoughtful young people. It works to establish characteristics like self-discipline and personal responsibility in each of its students through healthy habits such as practice and self-control.

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 about getting enrolled at the Collective, call 570-329-0888, email Brendan Mondell at brendan@uptownmusic.org, or visit the collective at www.uptownmusic.org.