School spotlight shines on Perpich Center for Arts Education
At Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, two seniors are excelling in music.
Seniors Joseph Leibig and Cassidy Albrecht have both been nominated for prestigious musical scholarships from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
“It’s a huge deal,” said Perpich teacher Ilah Raleigh.
Joseph Leibig
Joseph Leibig is a multi-dimensional performer who has many musical gifts.
“He is a pianist and plays at a high, high level,” Raleigh said. “We’ve been really impressed with how he’s progressed in the last couple of years. In addition, he started composing on his own.”
Classical music is something Leibig enjoys. He is fascinated by the impact it can have.
“It’s so beautiful,” Leibig said. “It’s so artful. It has so much emotion, so much growth. It’s a really, really powerful experience.”
Cassidy Albrecht
Cassidy Albrecht also has a range of talent. She plays the violin, sings classical voice and even loves music theory.
“When I originally came I really wanted to learn theory,” Albrecht said. “That was the first thing and I wanted to make time for being able to study violin.”
Raleigh says that’s not the average response to the challenging class.
“Music theory for a lot of kids can be like going to the dentist,” Raleigh said. “It’s not their favorite thing but it’s necessary.”
According to Raleigh, Albrecht’s potential is unlimited.
“The voice that she has right now it’s just lovely,” Raleigh said. “It’s a beautiful soprano sound. I can already tell it’s going to grow into a much larger instrument that’s going to grow into opera or recital.”
Perpich success stories
If the students win the scholarships, it would reflect well on Perpich Center and the school’s mission.
“It’s really a testament to the training that the kids get here,” Raleigh said. “How this school provides students from across the state with opportunities that they might not get in their home communities.”
One of the scholarships is worth $100,000 over four years and the other is valued at $80,000.
