Our Mission
Founded in October 2015, in the town of Franklin, Massachusetts, by co-founders, Lisa Ostrow and Patrick Dreier, the Encore Music Education Foundation, Inc., was established by its Board of Directors in order to fill a perceived need in the community for more tangible music education financial support, and to recognize the merits of music students of all ages.
We are very proud that, since December, 2015, the Foundation has already been fortunate enough to be able to award over $25,000.00 in scholarships and financial aid to 44 very deserving students of music, ranging in age from eight to eighteen, as well as to the Franklin High School Music Department to help fund their 2019 trip to compete in a music festival in Washington, D.C. Our goal for 2020 is to increase awards and subsidies to an annual average of $20,000.00, thereby increasing our impact to even more students and communities.
With your generous support, we feel confident that we will be able to reach our goals:
“To bring music into the lives of those who might not otherwise be able to afford lessons and classes; to purchase musical instruments for individuals and music education programs; to support students attending college to study music; to provide educational resources and materials for students of music; and, finally, to recognize, through the establishment of our scholarship awards, those students who exhibit excellence in the study of their chosen instrument.”
Our Impact – Voices of Our Students:
“Music has always been my passion and I always want to do more. EMEF has made this possible for me. Through their scholarship, I was able to take drum lessons for a semester along with my piano and voice classes. I was also able to play in Encore’s Jazz band during the summers and learned to improvise and collaborate with other musicians in the band.”
– Prem Pendkar
“I was only 6 when I started my musical journey at Encore. I had the most encouraging teacher, Lisa Ostrow, who made sure I would not give up on piano and voice like the many other students my age. I ended up having a strong bond with piano thanks to my teacher’s hard work. A couple years later, I received an Encore Teacher Award presented by Lisa Ostrow for my dedication and ability. I used to have a very small and old keyboard that I used for two years of my piano practice. With the help of this scholarship, my family bought me a new and better digital upright keyboard that I have used for many years. This foundation has given a helping hand to many people, but for me, they gave me a chance to find my calling. Now that I have the right equipment, I can say without hesitation that I will now continue playing piano for as long as possible. Recently, I received another teacher award, and an award for being invited to sing at Carnegie Hall. As I go higher in levels with piano for RCM, I will be needing more strength in my fingers which will be given by weighted keys from a real piano. With the help of EMEF, I can finally purchase a real piano that will be even more sustainable for the future. Not only has EMEF presented me with the chance to obtain proper instruments, but they motivated me to be the first child to go to Carnegie Hall for two different instruments from Encore in Franklin. The Encore Music Education Foundation made it viable for me and many others to take on their musical aspirations and goals whether it be college funds or aid to your musical pursuit.”
– Sunehri Verma
“The EMEF scholarship played a big part in the purchase of a hardware instrument and software program that I use to write and record original music— something that I have wanted to do my entire life, but never knew where to start. I am so grateful for the opportunities that have come from both EMEF and Encore, I truly could not do what I do without them!”
– Anina Lawrence
“Receiving the EMEF award meant so much to me. Music is my passion and being recognized and appreciated for it is the greatest honor. It gives me confidence to continue to work hard for what I love. Thank you Encore.”
– Claire Bauer