How to help continue the great work of late vocal instructor Leslie McEwen

Her spirit lives on through the Julian Patrick Vocal Intensive that she founded. Dr. Ron Berminghan and others in the community have picked up where Leslie left off and are preparing for the 2018 camp. A total of 17 students are expected. This is a camp for serious high school and freshmen college students. Bermingham stopped by my office the other day to chat about the program. The camp feeds community music programs in our valley and raises the level of performance that we get to experience. “It’s mind boggling what’s happening here artistically,” said Bermingham, who teaches voice and conducts the Apollo Club.

The intensive, which begins with a concert on June 24 at 5:30 p.m. in the Grove Recital Hall at Wenatchee Valley College and ends with a student concert nine days later, will be hosted by Grace Lutheran Church and Wenatchee Valley College.

One of the important aspects of this program is that local donations make it possible to give scholarships to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford the program. A total of $5,000 is needed to support these talented students.

The Julian Patrick Vocal Intensive operates under the nonprofit status of the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. Donations to support the Leslie’s ongoing work must be made out to the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center (WVMCC), earmarked (memo line of your check) “JPVI”, and mailed to PO Box 652, Leavenworth, WA 98826. Online donations can be made at

julianpatrickvocalintensive.com/donate.

I appreciate the hard work of Bermingham, Briar Hoper and others in the community to keep this great project alive. Let’s find a way to help support their work. It’s another great community building project.