Edwin A. Fleisher Collection Celebrates Musical Talent Through Scholarship
The Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music has teamed up with Play on Philly (POP) to offer the second Edwin A. Fleisher Scholarship. This collaboration mirrors the original vision of Edwin Fleisher from 1909, which aimed to nurture young Philadelphians’ musical talents through the Symphony Club. POP’s programs provide K–12 students, who often lack music education, with opportunities to enhance their life skills and academic success through music.
As part of this partnership, the Fleisher Collection supports POP’s Marian Anderson Young Artist Program by awarding a $1,000 scholarship to one Anderson Artist annually until 2029, marking the centennial of Fleisher’s significant contribution to the Free Library of Philadelphia.
The scholarship for 2025 has been awarded to Keith Holmes, a talented tuba player and music education major at the University of Maryland. Keith, the principal tubist of the Play on Philly Children’s Orchestra, has worked with composers like Iman Habibi, Kerwin Young, and Erika Oba. His performances include a live recording for PBS’s Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan and collaborations with groups such as the Canadian Brass, the US Marine Corps Band, and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
Expressing his thoughts, Keith shared, “I feel as though young people need to be the ones most involved in art as they are going to be the ones carrying the torch for the future of art in Philadelphia.” He continued, “I think that living in this city full of art and the opportunities to learn art really helped make my decision to become an artist [as a career] and I believe that the more we get the youth involved, and serious about pursuing the arts, the easier it will be to keep the reputation of this city strong.”
Keith’s journey in music education at the University of Maryland will commence in Fall 2025. The Fleisher Collection looks forward to his future contributions to the field, hoping he will inspire the next generation of musicians. To learn about last year’s scholarship recipient, Rhyuhn Green.
About the Marian Anderson Young Artist Program
The Marian Anderson Young Artist Program, established by POP in honor of Philadelphia’s own Marian Anderson, supports aspiring young musicians. It offers private lessons, guidance, instrument loans, and college and career advice. This initiative is designed to break down barriers for communities historically excluded from elite musical training. The program is tuition-free for accepted students, requiring only a registration fee upon acceptance.
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