Holland College’s School of Performing Arts, in partnership with Berklee College of Music and Music PEI, will host the first annual Popular Music Performance Conference this fall, an event that will welcome high school students and staff from across the Island to the Prince of Wales Campus for the day on Monday, September 25.

The conference is an opportunity for students who are taking the new Popular Music Performance courses that are being offered to Grades 10, 11, and 12 to join students in the two-year Music Performance program at Holland College for a day of workshops and performances.

Liam Corcoran, Program Manager for SoPA, said the college is always looking for ways to showcase programs to potential students, so when the timing aligned to bring experts onto the campus, it made sense to invite the high school students and instructors to the event.

“This conference gives us an opportunity to raise high school students’ awareness of our Music Performance program by giving them a sample of what our students learn,” he said. “In addition to SoPA faculty, we will be joined by two faculty members from the Berklee College of Music and music industry delegates who will be in town for Music PEI Showcase week.”

Linda MacIsaac-Gallant, Arts Education Leader K – 12 for the Province, said the conference complements the new program’s curriculum.

“The Department of Education and Early Years, English Programs is very excited to support this amazing opportunity for our Island senior high Popular Music Program students. The timing of this conference fits perfectly amidst the continued implementation of the Popular Music Program for Island students in Grades 10-12,” she said.

Students will attend a workshop about stage presence with professional performance advice, there will be a panel discussion on successful showcasing for industry, and they will be able to meet current Music Performance students to find out more about the program. Students will also find out more about SoPA’s curriculum, which is Berklee approved, and the Berklee/SoPA degree pathway agreement.

View the day's itinerary here.