LEARNING TO FLY **LIVE** (2025) Student-Spotlight Showcase
Schedule
Sun Oct 05 2025 at 06:30 pm to 09:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Higher Ground | South Burlington, VT
Advertisement
The Friends For A_Dog Foundation, The Burlington Music Dojo and Higher Ground, proudly present, "Learning to Fly **Live**, our annual student spotlight showcase!! All proceeds from the event will benefit "Learning to Fly", a scholarship program bringing music lessons to Vermont youth, each year. Join us at Higher Ground in the Showcase Lounge on Sunday October 5th, for a night supporting local music, youth, and community and performances from our scholarship winners & LTF music program graduates!!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our 2025 "Learning To Fly" **LIVE**, student-spotlight performers:
“I Got Nothing” feat. Chaviv Mack-Dev (Age, 18 – Burlington)
Chaviv is a 2025 graduate of the “Learning to Fly” program and is currently enrolled as a nursing student, north of the border, where he continues to work on understanding Guitar. For this very special occasion, he’ll be taking the stage with an instrumental project, playing originals & some covers, known as "I Got Nothing"… the ensemble consists of Chaviv and Kathir Mack-Dev on guitars, with John Thompson on Bass & Colin Henkel on Drums.
________________
Blake Matteson (Age, 14 – Fairfax)
Blake Matteson grew up in Vermont with a love of music. Her parents like to say she could sing before she could talk. Around the age of 10 she started playing guitar but then seriously began studying the instrument at age 12. Her family is very musical, but her grandpa was the one that inspired her to play the guitar. Blake loves to write her own songs and finds that being able to craft her own lyrics and harmony is a great mode of self-expression. Blake loves all kinds of musicians - her biggest inspirations are Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley, Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Adele, and Jewel, among others. For the past year or so Blake has been steadily taking her music career to the next level and in March 2024 she completed her debut recording at Tank Recording Studio in Burlington, VT. This opportunity was offered through the “Learning to Fly” scholarship & the Burlington Music Dojo, where she continues to study music.
________________
Avalon Murray (Age, 15 – Colchester) feat. Evelyin Murray
Avalon is always looking for new music to listen to... She’s a 2025 graduate of the “Learning to Fly” program and when she’s not busy playing the drums or singing with her friends in chorus, you can find her practicing with her Esports team. For this special occasion she’ll be accompanied by her younger sister, Evelin, who keeps herself busy with ballet, when she’s not singing with her sister at home or with friends at school.
____________________
Jeremy Holzhammer (Age, 17 - East Middlebury)
A Learning to Fly graduate of 2022 and part of the digital music production arm of the program, much in the spirit of Andy "A_Dog" Williams. He has performed live sets all over the area and crafts heavy beats and entrancing textures. He'll be performing a special set of original digital music, for the evening's event.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
About Learning to Fly:
The Learning to Fly program was launched in 2020 by the Friends for A_Dog Foundation and The Burlington Music Dojo, to help bring music lessons to underserved youth in Vermont. Awarded a grant from Phish's Mockingbird and Waterwheel Foundations from over a thousand applicants nationwide, the program has been an amazing success. Now in its 5th year, the program has awarded TWENTY-FIVE total scholarships, offering a year of tuition-free lessons at The Burlington Music Dojo. The Program has seen amazing local and national support from sponsors like; Higher Ground, Soundtoys, Hartke and Samson.
You can support the program directly by donating to the FFA_D Foundation or visiting The Burlington Music Dojo website and by attending purchasing tickets for this special event!!
__________________________
About the Friends for A_Dog Foundation:
Founded in honor of the late, famed Burlington turntablist and skateboarder, Andy "A_Dog" Williams, the non-profit Foundation has been a pillar of community support and outreach in the Burlington area and beyond for over a decade through its numerous youth programs and annual "A_Dog Day" celebration. You can learn more and donate here:
https://www.friendsforadog.org
__________________________________
About The Burlington Music Dojo:
Founded in 2013 and located in the heart of the South End Arts District, the Dojo offers music lessons of all types with a host of wonderful independent instructors, as well as shared creative space for rehearsals and recording. You can learn more here:
https://www.burlingtonmusicdojo.com
+++++++++++++++++++
Higher Ground (Showcase)
Doors @ 6:30pm + All Ages!!
Cover: $10.00 Donation
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Higher Ground, 1214 Williston Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403-5720, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
