THE
BEN CARLSON-BERNE SCHOLARSHIP

ABOUT US

The BCB Scholarship was established in 2004 by Susan Carlson and Philip Berne, in memory of their son Ben whose passion it was to expose economically disadvantaged children and youth to classical music.

Ben’s Story: Ben was a serious student of piano. He loved classical music and grew into a young man full of vitality and spontaneity, with a deep sensitivity for beauty. In high school Ben took it as his mission to help ensure that his love of classical music could be shared with underserved youth. He volunteered his time and talents to help connect youth to classical music, to teach music lessons and to locate instruments for students who could not afford them. Ben’s short life ended in 2002 at age 19 in a hiking accident. Ben’s vision has inspired others who also want to spread the love of classical music, making the scholarship a growing success and a living legacy to the inspiration of one youth.

A Successful 2022 Recital

After two years of the Annual Ben Carlson-Berne Scholarship Recital being cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students made a return to the stage on April 5th! For many students, this was their first BCB Recital!

Due to unwavering support of teachers, parents, and donors, BCB was able to host its largest recital yet, with 27 students performing! Students from Oyler School, the School for Creative and Performing Arts, and Withrow University High School put on a lovely show. We would like to thank SCPA for hosting this event, and our BCB supporters who have made the scholarship expansion possible.