Dominican President, Berklee Officials Discuss Youth Music Program

SANTO DOMINGO — Dominican President Luis Abinader welcomed renowned pianist and composer Michel Camilo and a delegation from Boston's Berklee College of Music to the National Palace on Wednesday, Jan. 7, to discuss a program aimed at fostering young musical talent.

During the courtesy visit, Camilo updated the president on the progress of the "Berklee in Santo Domingo 2026" initiative. This program is designed to train and empower young Dominican musicians through classes taught by professors from the prestigious American university.

Participants in the program also had the opportunity to attend a free masterclass led by Camilo at the National Theater later Wednesday. Camilo additionally offered a full scholarship for one outstanding student to pursue studies at Berklee.

The initiative operates in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, the National School of Fine Arts, and the National Conservatory of Music. These institutions are responsible for issuing calls for applicants and conducting the initial selection process.

This latest edition of "Berklee in Santo Domingo" began on Monday, Jan. 5, and is scheduled to run until Saturday, Jan. 10. More than 200 young musicians, chosen from thousands of applicants, are participating in the current session.

The meeting underscored the Dominican government's and its cultural institutions' commitment to artistic education, as well as the development and international projection of the nation's youth.