Whether it’s orchestra, voice, piano, marching band or ballet, tap or jazz dance, students across the region have benefited from the community’s generosity at the Acker Night music events that take place in downtown Prescott over the winter holidays.
For some students the Acker Night scholarship funds are what keep them involved in music, attending school and out of mischief.
“They need to be able to have music as an outlet and not go out and get in trouble,” said Linda Acker, executive director of Acker Night for the JS Acker Music Park Association. She is not related to the JS Acker family, but stepped into the position this past year after volunteering with the organization.
Now in its 37th year, the organization gave $27,000 in scholarships in 2024. Acker said 69 kids benefited from the community’s donations. “Each year it goes up more,” she said, adding that students from all three school districts are recipients of funds that help pay for music and dance lessons, costumes, instruments and equipment.
Every December on the Friday after the courthouse lighting, Prescott comes alive with music and dance performances. Every venue has a Tip Scholarship Bag into which people drop money. These funds are then distributed to students and programs throughout the year.
For instance, when Chino Valley High School music teacher Jennifer Gappinger wanted to start an orchestra last year, the Acker Music Association donated $5,000 toward the purchase of four cellos, four violas, four violins, shoulder rests, strings, rosin, everything she needed.
“I have a student who moved here from Mexico. He wasn’t able to rent an instrument, and the only way to be in the orchestra was if the school provided one. For some students, they aren’t able to rent — $25 a month is expensive for some families. So for me to be able to say, ‘I have a school instrument you can borrow,’ now they’re able to have that in their life,” Gappinger said.
A year ago Acker money paid for new shirts for the boys in the school choir. This year Gappinger is helping write a proposal for the marching band to purchase a trailer for hauling equipment.
“We also picked up a baby grand piano, and they paid for it to be moved to the high school and be tuned. In four months it will be tuned again. It’s an old piano, 100 years old, but it sounds amazing,” Gappinger said.
Dr. Calvin Audis, band director at Prescott High School, has worked with the nonprofit for four years. When the podiums used by the marching band wore out, Acker provided funds to purchase new ones. Audis also uses scholarship money to pay for instrument rentals, tuition fees and private lessons for his students.
“The ones benefiting are the kids who do not have the financial ability to pay and who are interested in participating in the summer jazz program,” Audis offered as an example. “We are not only able to provide them with jazz training, but we bring in musicians specific to the instrument the student plays. They receive some topnotch-quality training.”
Music students and groups often perform on Acker Night as a way to give back to the community. Audis’ students have been involved for the past three years. Yavapai Jazz Institute members play at the Raven Café, and the Prescott High School Jazz Band performs at the Hike Shack. Thanks to the funding opportunity, one student is studying now to become a professional musician. Audis also said a saxophonist, a trombonist, and two trumpet players have received scholarships.
“One student made it into All State Jazz this year. That is an incredible feat because she’s a freshman. These scholarships change lives, and music is a great place for those who have no direction in life, or the direction is of the kind that should not be followed, if you follow my drift,” Audis said.
Parents and students fill out applications for scholarship funds. Teachers can apply for money to help existing programs as well as establish new ones. Everything is tracked through the organization, Acker said.
Music students aren’t the only ones benefiting from Acker Night scholarships. Summer Hinton of Summer’s DanceWorks said she looks at her students’ circumstances when she’s able to give out scholarships. She recently nominated a student whose family had a lot of medical bills. Others have single parents struggling with finances.
“If I know about the family situation, and they love dance more than anything, I put their names on my list of who needs the most help,” Hinton said. That help takes the form of class fees, costumes, shoes, and competition entries.
Her students write letters to the Acker Night association stating what they would do if they received the money. Parents, too, must write to say how the funds would help. Teachers or the dance/music organizations determine how the scholarship funds are spent, and they, too, must write letters about each student they nominate.
“Some dancers who take multiple classes — jazz, contemporary, tap, ballet — they need shoes and costumes for competition. Acker money for them, besides the lessons and training, enables them to feel like, ‘I don’t have to worry about shoes.’ That allows them to become the best dancer they can be.”
Everyone in Summer’s classes participates on Acker Night, outside the Palace Bar and Restaurant. “It has snowed on occasion,” she said. “But we have never canceled.”
Prescott piano teacher Lydia Herholdt offers private lessons in many styles — classical, jazz, rock’n’roll — and focuses on the needs of the student. “I really look at what will help the student thrive. Some want to read music. Others want to play by ear or compose their own songs. It’s so exciting. They get to express themselves and they feel heard.” Herholdt said she appreciates how easy Acker directors have made the application process for students and teachers.
Ember Larson, choir and guitar director at Bradshaw Mountain High School, agrees. Her students have excelled since the Acker Association provided 35 classical guitars for her class. “I told them, ‘Here’s what I would like to do,’ and they were like, ‘Done.’ They made it really accessible,” Larson said.
Her students were able to compete in the All- State Guitar Festival in February. Some of her students had their own guitars at home with steel strings, but the state competition requires nylon strings. “They loved our sounds. Having the right instruments and the work the students are doing made a difference,” Larson said.
Out of hundreds of students who auditioned, forty from the entire state are selected. And of that top forty, she said, “I’m so proud four are from my little program at Bradshaw. That’s ten percent! And none of them owned a classical.”
Former BMHS choir director Amy Van Winkle said her program received Acker funds for choir uniforms for the Choral Union. “It went a long way toward helping our students look and feel their very best when they performed for their families, community, and state competitions,” she said. The Bradshaw choir recently used additional funds to purchase sound equipment, and was invited to perform on Acker Night. “It was amazing to be part of the opening ceremony and feel connected to all the music-making on that night,” Larson said.
The Acker Night website states that the event is produced solely by volunteers, and was created to fulfill the wishes of benefactor and Prescott resident James S. Acker (1865-1955). “All the residue of my estate … I give to the City of Prescott to be used for parks and for promotion of music, particularly for children.”
Donations are accepted year-round. Visit ackernight.com, or contact Linda Acker at ackernight@gmail.com or 928-778-5460.
