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Miami Music Project Students Earn Full-Tuition Scholarships to Complete High School at Interlochen Arts Academy

Miami Music Project proudly announces that two of its Leaders Orchestra students, Carlos Montenegro and Sebastian Cardona, will finish their high school education, junior and senior year, at the Interlochen Arts Academy on full-tuition scholarships. 

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The Miami-Interlochen Partnership first launched in 2018 after philanthropist Dan Lewis approached Interlochen with a bold idea: a collaboration between Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Miami Music Project.  After successful auditions and surpassing everyone’s expectations, 44 young musicians were awarded full scholarships to attend the 2018 Interlochen Arts Camp throughout the summer. By the end of the summer camp season, the Miami-Interlochen Partnership had proven an extraordinary success.


Several standout Miami Music Project students enrolled at Interlochen Arts Academy boarding school following the 2018 summer camp season, paving the way for future Miami-Interlochen Partnership students to continue their studies at the Academy. In total, 13 partnership participants have attended and graduated from the boarding school on full-tuition scholarships funded by Dan Lewis and Valerie Dillon.


“I feel very lucky and grateful to be able to focus on my musical performance throughout the rest of my high school education,” said Carlos Montenegro. “Miami Music Project has taught me the importance of hard work and practice. Everything I’ve done at Miami Music Project has been critical to receiving this scholarship. I will also attend the summer program now, so there will be a lot of Interlochen to look forward to.” 


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Carlos Montenegro (percussion) playing at the Spring Concert at UM Maurice Gusman Hall (March 2025). Carlos has been awarded the Student of the Year Award at Miami Music Project’s 2025 Fantastic Season Finale: Intermediate and Advanced Student Orchestras.


Carlos and Sebastian look forward to enjoying the Interlochen experience, which the organization describes as a “true artists’ retreat.” Students from grades 3-12 engage in a wide array of powerful arts education programs designed for young artists to hone their skills and prepare them for a unique standard of excellence upon graduating from high school.

“Miami Music Project taught me everything I know about orchestral music!” said Sebastian Cardona. “My skills have truly matured in an orchestral setting, and I’ve learned what a professional level of musicianship requires.”


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Sebastian Cardona (clarinet and saxophone) playing at the Spring Concert at UM Maurice Gusman Hall (March 2025).


Anna Klimala, president and CEO of the Miami Music Project, celebrates the achievement of these students and the ever-growing partnership with Interlochen, which continues to offer new, transformational opportunities to Miami Dade’s youth: 


“Since 2018, our partnership with Interlochen has set a new standard of achievement for our students. In total 288 of our students have directly benefited from participating in Interlochen Arts Camp and year-round Academy, returning with new skills and experiences that have not only shaped their lives, but also inspired and impacted hundreds of their peers,” Klimala said. “We couldn’t be prouder of Carlos and Sebastian. This is what true transformation looks like—this is real impact, possible only thanks to the power of a strong partnership. And it doesn’t stop here. The model we've built together holds immense potential for replication across the country, offering thousands of young people the opportunity to change their lives.”


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By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Miami Music Project

 
 
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