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Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran surprises Base Academy of Music students with free concert tickets and guitars
In early August, Clint Velazquez had just pulled in front of his home when he saw an incoming call from Warner Music Group.
Velazquez is the founder and executive director of Base Academy of Music (BAM), a non-profit that provides sliding-scale private lessons to Kansas City’s urban core.
When he answered, Velazquez said the Warner Music Group representative didn’t give Velasquez much context, but asked him to share more about the organization.
At the end of the call, she informed Velasquez that she was a part of Ed Sheeran’s team.
“Ed Sheeran had seen us, knew who we were and thought what we did was pretty cool and they wanted to do something for us,” Velazquez says.
Three days later, just days before Sheeran’s Kansas City performance at Arrowhead Stadium, Velazquez received a second call. Sheeran offered all students, teachers––and their plus ones––tickets to the upcoming show.
And Ed Sheeran wanted to record the news to let the BAM fam know personally. Sheeran’s video announced another exciting surprise: he would be donating five of his signature acoustic-electric guitars to BAM.
“It was a mad scramble to organize all of our students in the middle of summer to be able to go to the show,” Velazquez says. “Everything we do is one-on-one, so having the opportunity to have a musical experience with our student body was really special to see.”
“Your songs are the best thing I’ve really ever heard,” said student Jenny Haluck.
About BAM
Founded in 2012, BAM started by teaching small-group after school music classes.
“Again and again, the feedback we got from families was that they want music lessons,” Velazquez says. “They wanted that one-on-one connection, that intentional type of relationship.”
In 2016, BAM made a pivotal shift, ending group instruction to focus efforts on private instruction. From teaching 30 group lesson students and 10 private lessons weekly, BAM’s enrollment soon shot up to 75 students.
Today, BAM has over 200 students and counting, with over 60% of the student body qualifying for federal free and reduced lunch.
Looking forward, Velazquez says BAM is focused on continuing to cultivate a supportive community for students and parents alike, support their needs and create more opportunities for students to perform to put their growing skill sets on display.
“I don’t want BAM to have a waiting list,” Velazquez says. “When a kid wants to learn how to play, when a kid wants to take that next step, when someone is needing to benefit from what music can bring, I want us to be able to provide that for them.”
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