Rock Academy benefit concert helps fund youth music lessons in Asheville

Rock Academy NC filled The Orange Peel with student musicians on Saturday, June 20, for its 18th annual benefit concert, an “A Tribute to MTV” show designed to raise money for youth music access in Asheville. The concert put young performers on one of the city’s best-known stages while directing every dollar back into lessons, scholarships and instruments.

That mission sits at the center of Give to the Music, the nonprofit tied to Rock Academy and directed by Dena Clark. Give to the Music says it works to break down financial barriers by providing scholarships, instruments and performance opportunities for children in need, with an Asheville office at 1408 Patton Ave., Suite F, Asheville, NC 28806. In Buncombe County, where private lessons and instruments can quickly put music out of reach for working families, those supports can determine whether a child gets to start, continue or advance in the program.

The Orange Peel setting gave the fundraiser added weight. Long known as a major Asheville live-music venue and one of the city’s notable rock clubs, the room offered Rock Academy students the kind of visibility many young musicians never get. Big Picture Concert Group, the venue’s new ownership team, has also outlined plans for a 6,000-seat outdoor venue in Asheville, underscoring the Orange Peel’s continuing place in the city’s live-music economy.

The concert also continued a familiar local tradition. Rock Academy’s fundraiser has long been linked to The Orange Peel, including the group’s 12th annual Give to the Music event in 2020, and students were back on that stage for a 2025 benefit performance. That continuity matters in a city that markets itself as music-rich, yet still leaves too many young artists facing the cost of lessons, equipment and performance opportunities.

For Asheville families, the benefit concert was more than a night out at a marquee venue. It was a direct investment in whether more children across Buncombe County can afford to take part in the region’s music culture, rather than watching it from the sidelines.