Peruvian trio performs "Sariri Paya"

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - It's their passion for music that unlocks their talents and helps them to reach their full potential. Kristen Tillona, Director of Admission and Marketing at Berkshire Hills Music Academy tells you more.

At Berkshire Hills we use music as a tool to teach life skills, independent living schools and vocational schools.

We offer cooking classes, budgeting and banking, community access, independent living skills, room maintenance, all that you need to live as an independent adult.

Music is the motivator to learn all these other skills that are necessary in life.

There are studies that show when you take an area of interest and strength, you can apply to to weakness and have gains in the areas of weakness. That's what we do.

We enroll students ages 18 to 30. They have a cognitive or developmental disability. They have enough expressive language skills in order to work in our environment and go through our vocational program.

We also have a summer program for 16 to 25-year-olds and a summer music therapy for 7 to 12-year-olds.

Performers

• Etienne Perley (Panpipes, flute, vocals)
• Eamon Anderson (guitar)
• John Libera (percussion)

Eamon writes his own compositions and really accompanies almost everyone on campus.

When they leave the academy, we have a student right now that's working as an aide at South Hadley school, we have students working in office, playing music, working as hostesses in restaurants. One has a piano gram business. Music is the glue that holds our school together. Our students no matter what they are doing still continue to play music.

For more information on Berkshire Hills Music Academy, visit BerkshireHills.org