Boston Conservatory at Berklee Awards Grants to Five Alumni, Supporting Work in Their Local Communities

A community youth orchestra in the Everglades, a celebration of the Bulgarian folkloric legend Baba March, and a dance concert to benefit homeless residents of Nashville, Tennessee, are among the projects being funded by Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Alumni Affairs Department in the 2026–2027 academic year. 

Boston Conservatory supports the artistic growth of its graduates by awarding grants to fund their innovative projects, enabling them to share their artistry in ways that meet demonstrable need within their communities. Projects that receive alumni grants meet several important criteria: clarity of artistic vision, commitment to making a positive impact, demonstrated evidence of leadership, and feasibility of the project’s stated goals and timeline.

These grants are funded by the Inspiring Hope and Leading Change initiative, which enables Boston Conservatory students and alums to create lasting social change by means of their own artistic expression—engaging with and inspiring others to make the world a better place.

In 2026, alumni grants were awarded to Asia Pyron (BFA '20, contemporary dance),Harold Rivas (BM '23, percussion; MM '25, conducting), Maritsa Rosamilia (BM '10, viola), Hannah Elizabeth Tobias (PSC '24, flute), and Mabel White (BFA '25, contemporary theater). Their grant-winning projects are detailed below.

Asia Pyron (BFA '20, contemporary dance)
God’s Country: PYDANCE and Hope on the Row Benefit Concert

Asia Pyron received a grant to support her dance theater organization, PYDANCE, as they develop work to be presented at a benefit concert helping homeless residents of Nashville, Tennessee. Her dance work “God’s Country” explores the emotional and social impact of homelessness and mental illness. Performances of the piece will raise funds for Hope on the Row, a non-profit that aims to build community and support the dignity of unhoused people by providing essential food, hygiene, and clothing items.

The grant will enable PYDANCE to fund a three-month residency, during which “God’s Country” will be revised and prepared for performance. This will, in turn, support Hope on the Row’s goal “to create an inclusive space where compassion and respect guides every interaction.”

Harold Rivas (BM '23, percussion; MM '25, conducting)
EverGlades Philharmonic Orchestra

Harold Rivas, alongside the Rivas Perdomo Family Foundation, has created the EverGlades Philharmonic Orchestra in order to “empower music students to perform, compose, and promote works to ignite positive change in Miami.” While rehearsals and performances are run primarily on a volunteer basis, a grant from Boston Conservatory will help EverGlades Philharmonic Orchestra facilitate composition and leadership workshops with guest lecturers. 

The goal of the project is to empower Miami youth while raising awareness of social and environmental issues through music making. The ensemble experience will enable students to develop their citizenship skills, Rivas says, “to use music to nurture strong, positive leaders for a brighter Miami.”

Maritsa Rosamilia (BM '10, viola)
Grandma March: Exploring Bulgarian Folk Tradition Through Creativity, Transformation, and Creation

Baba Marta, or Grandma March, is a Bulgarian mythical figure whose arrival brings the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Violist Maritsa Rosamilia created a cultural project in her home state of Wisconsin “to share wisdom from the Bulgarian folk tradition through immersive experiences suitable for both children and adults.” With a grant from Boston Conservatory, Rosamilia will bring Grandma March festivities—such as music, crafts, and storytelling—to rural parts of the state. Her goal is to provide cultural activities to underserved areas, free of charge, while encouraging children and families to engage with folkloric traditions and find resonance with their daily lives. 

Hannah Elizabeth Tobias (PSC '24, flute)
For Her 

Inspired by the “me too” movement, For Her is a multidisciplinary project that originated with flutist Hannah Elizabeth Tobias’s masters recital. It has grown into a concert series that uplifts femme stories—and fosters dialogue around complex topics—through music, dance, poetry, and visual art. A grant from Boston Conservatory will help support five concerts by the ensemble, taking place throughout Boston during Women’s History Month in March 2027 and culminating in a performance at Rosie’s Place, a longstanding Boston community center that provides shelter, food, and other vital services to women in need. 

In addition to Tobias, For Her features several Boston Conservatory alums: soprano Rose Hegele (MM '18), flutist Anna Fisher-Roberts (MM '23), soprano Ren Wemhoener (MM '24), trombonist Mikayla Frank Martin (MM '25), and violinist Skye Darling (MM '24), as well as Berklee College of Music faculty member Kayla Cashetta.

Mabel White (BFA '25, contemporary theater)
Forever, Kid.

Mabel White’s original play Forever, Kid. made its world premiere at Boston Conservatory’s contemporary theater capstone festival in 2024. With help from the school’s alumni grant program, White will continue to develop the work she began as a student, and will produce a two-week run of the play at a professional venue, as well as a tour of local libraries, community centers, and senior citizen homes.

Forever, Kid. centers around a young girl who becomes prematurely aware of how short childhood is, clinging to youth as her peers age rapidly around her. By sharing this work with a wider audience, White aims to help adults “connect with the childlike curiosity, empathy, and creativity that make us human.” 

Learn more about Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Alumni Grant Program.