Cultural Center of Cape Cod Accepting Applications for 2021 Alexander Holmes Memorial Scholarship in Music Education
South Yarmouth -- The Cultural Center of Cape Cod encourages high school seniors living on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket and planning to acquire a college degree in music to submit an application for the Alexander Holmes Memorial Scholarship. A single student will be selected to receive the four-year scholarship ($1500 per year). The deadline for applications is March 1, 2021.
The scholarship is named for musician Alexander Holmes, who was killed in a car accident in 2014 at the age of 26. Affectionately called "Alex of the Ocean" by his family, Alex was born and raised in North Falmouth. Shortly before his death, he had returned to Cape Cod after living in Boston, Western Massachusetts, and Oakland, California.
Alex’s family also named the Cultural Center’s recording studio for him and holds annual fundraisers to support it. The studio, along with a professional sound engineer, is free to young local musicians.
“We work hard to raise the funds needed to keep this valuable resource operating for the Cape’s young people,” says Director of Education Amy Neill. “The Holmes family has been very supportive of our efforts.” Proceeds from the annual fundraisers also fund the scholarship. In a Facebook post on April 19, just one month before his death, Alex wrote about the state of the Cape Cod music scene for young musicians: "Remember what it was like? We all had someone to inspire us. . . . I want to do something about this. I would like to have a hand in inspiring people. It's a reason for doing awesome work."
“With this fund,” says his cousin, Melissa, “we aim to honor Alex's wishes, his life's work, and his memory—and to spread his inspiration and positive impact further beyond those who were fortunate enough to know and love him.”
“We wish we could have known Alex,” says the Cultural Center’s Associate Director Lauren Wolk, “not only because he was an artist with great promise but also because he shared our philosophy that art in all its forms enriches our lives. And we are very grateful to his family for helping us support young artists like him.”
For more information about the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, the Alexander Holmes Music Scholarship and Recording Studio, or the Center’s Rise and Shine Program for youth at risk, please call 508-394-7100, write to Amy at aneill@cultural-center.org, or visit www.cultural-center.org. Scholarship applications are available at the website or at the Center, which is located at 307 Old Main Street in South Yarmouth.