A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

Hi friends, family, and supporters,

I’ve been accepted into the Global Jazz Institute at Berklee College of Music — one of the most competitive and transformative jazz programmes in the world. It’s a one-year, full-immersion master’s degree under some of the greatest living jazz artists: Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, George Garzone, and others who have shaped the music I love.

My Vision for the Year

This is more than a degree for me. It’s a chance to dive deep into my life’s work — creating music that explores love, liberation, and the hidden patterns of history. My thesis draws on English choral traditions, voices from cultures touched by Britain’s colonial past, and the radical compassion of figures like Jesus and Gandhi.

My goal is to create music that resists fear, rekindles wonder, and restores love as a constant we can share.

The Challenge

As an international student on an F-1 visa, I can’t work while in the US — and Boston’s cost of living is high. To give my all to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I need to raise $20,000 (~£15,000) to cover rent, food, and basic living costs for the year. US donors can give in dollars — GoFundMe will convert automatically at checkout.

On top of that, a typical day at the Global Jazz Institute can run from 9:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night — rehearsals, masterclasses, composing, and performing. It’s total immersion, and there’s no room for side jobs even if it were allowed under my visa — which is why your support is so essential this year.

How You Can Help

If 200 people gave $100 each, I’d be fully funded. Every donation — big or small — will make a real difference. And if you can’t give right now, please consider sharing this page with someone who might.

This year will shape the music I can give back to the world for years to come — music that carries love, freedom, and hope into a time that needs it more than ever!

Thank you for believing in me — and in the power of the arts.

– Sam