Berklee in Santo Domingo marks a milestone with a record number of 43 scholarships for Dominican musicians

Santo Domingo.- The international academic program Berklee in Santo Domingo 2026 concluded this Saturday with the awarding of 43 scholarships for higher studies at Berklee College of Music, valued at approximately RD$200 million, consolidating itself as the edition with the highest number of aid granted since the creation of the program.

The closing took place in the Carlos Piantini hall of the National Theater “Eduardo Brito”, with a concert by the participating students and the closing ceremony of an intense week of artistic training that brought together 220 young Dominican musicians. The scholarships awarded include 10 with full tuition for the summer program, six undergraduate scholarships for US$20,000, seven for US$25,000, seven for US$30,000, five for US$35,000, and eight full tuition scholarships. In addition, the Michel Camilo Scholarship was awarded to the student Ángel Sánchez, which covers tuition, accommodation, and living expenses during the academic program.

You can read: Michael Camilo Scholarship Awarded to Student Ángel Sánchez Volquez

The announcement of the beneficiaries was made by Tim Lee, Associate Dean of Admissions (International Recruitment) at Berklee, who highlighted that this edition represents a record year, far surpassing the 23 scholarships awarded in 2025. Likewise, he informed that the total amount of aid amounts to US$4.8 million, reflecting the growth and artistic quality of the program. Of the 43 scholarships awarded, 30 were granted to students from the National Conservatory of Music, which highlights the impact of cultural public policies and the quality of musical training in the country. During the event, the Minister of Culture, Roberto Ángel Salcedo, valued the scope of the program and affirmed that Dominican talent “has its own language, future and the ability to connect with the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.” In addition, he pledged to continue strengthening this training platform for future editions. For his part, the vice president and CEO of Berklee College of Music, Ron Savage, praised the artistic level of the participants and thanked the support of the Dominican authorities, assuring that “the talent here is exceptional.” The program was developed from January 5th to 10th as an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, in coordination with the General Directorate of Fine Arts, the National Conservatory of Music and Berklee College of Music, with the support of the AES Dominicana Foundation, the Itabo Electricity Generating Company, Autohaus, Qik Banco Digital and the Economic Dining Halls of the State. With this closing, Berklee in Santo Domingo 2026 reaffirms its role as a key platform for the development of young Dominican talent and its projection towards academic and artistic stages of international scope.