PHOTO PROVIDED A promotional collage shows a variety of student performers as Uptown Music Collective celebrates 25 years.

WILLIAMSPORT — It’s been more than a quarter of a century since musician Dave Brumbaugh imagined a place where young musicians could gather to learn, grow and find their voices. That dream came to fruition in 2000, when the Uptown Music Collective officially opened its doors, and now the area’s only nonprofit school of music is celebrating a 25-year anniversary.

The milestone celebration will culminate at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 and 22 with more than 80 alumni joining today’s rising stars on stage at the Journey Bank Community Arts Center, 220 W. Fourth St. Presented in collaboration with UPMC, the weekend will feature four iconic sets — The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin (Nov. 21) and Billy Joel/Elton John and Queen (Nov. 22).

“We’ve had alumni join our performances before — maybe 25 or 30 at a time — but nothing like this,” Brumbaugh, executive director, said.

A massive undertaking artistically and logistically, Brumbaugh said the scope of the show mirrors the story of the school itself — a small group of musicians in a room that has grown into a community that spans generations.

His love for music began many years before, and he learned to play guitar in a natural way — simply by doing it. He formed bands with friends who would both inspire and challenge one another, sharing a commitment to music and each other that continued long after the groups parted ways. He went on to teach music to you people, but he realized that something was missing.

“When I started teaching, I found that most of my students didn’t have that same kind of group to help them grow,” Brumbaugh said. “As their teacher, I tried to make up for that, but there’s something special about that peer-to-peer, mutual learning experience. It was realizing the absence of that connection that really inspired me to start the collective.”

When it first opened its doors, the school’s offerings weren’t much different from today’s programs, albeit on a smaller scale.

“The first classes and workshops would look familiar to any current collective student — the foundation was there from day one,” Brumbaugh said. “In the beginning, most students were guitar players because that’s what I taught, but we always welcomed their friends who played drums, bass or keyboards to join in. From the start, our focus was on pre-teens and teens because that’s when musicians are most open to learning proper technique, discipline and creativity. Even then, we had a few adult students, but the heartbeat of the school has always been the younger musicians finding their way.”

The UMC now offers lessons, classes and workshops for more than 130 students each week. Students range in age from three years old (the Discovering Music Program is open to children up to eight years old) to the more experienced musicians through the Adult Music Program. They can learn to be “Tech Monkeys” through the Tech Monkey program, which teaches live performance production, technical skills, light/sound engineering, stage work and equipment maintenance; perform in and around the community through Community Performance Groups at local events; and make it through the UMC Program to perform on the Journey Bank Community Arts Center Stage as part of the Special Performance Group 1. This elite group of students put on larger, high-impact shows after rigorous auditions and rehearsals.

Shows have spanned decades of music and covered a plethora of genres and bands, from ’70s rock and rhythm and blues to modern country, grunge, Motown, Arena Rock and Fleetwood Mac. Although Brumbaugh pointed to a number of unforgettable shows, some had a special magic.

“Some have stood out as fan favorites — our tributes to Queen, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd,” he said. “And then there was the combination of Elton John and Billy Joel — the only theme in our history to sell out the Community Arts Center. Those performances remind us why we do this. They bring generations together around timeless music and showcase what our students are truly capable of when they rise to the occasion.”

As the heart and soul of the organization, Brumbaugh remains at the helm of the proverbial ship, supported by a dedicated staff that has grown right along with the organization, many of whom were students of his at one time.

“The first teachers at the collective, other than me, were all former students,” Brumbaugh said. “That tradition continues today, with roughly 60 percent of our teaching, student and administrative staff made up of alumni. They grew up here, learned the system and carry its mission in their bones. Their deep understanding of the school, their connection to the students and their loyalty to one another are what make this place truly special. It’s more than a staff — it’s a family that keeps passing the torch forward, one generation at a time.”

But, he added, the collective could not have made it this far without the support of the community. The nonprofit has been an asset to the arts and cultural scene in the Williamsport and surrounding areas, and everyone from businesses to individuals have contributed to its growth and success. In addition to UPMC, this year’s corporate sponsors include Miele Amusements; The Brickyard Restaurant & Ale House/Stonehouse Pizza & Pasteria/The Crooked Goose; Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships; The Kiessling Group of Janney Montgomery Scott; Chartwell Hotels; Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital; Woodlands Bank; Hudock Capital Group; KFC Williamsport; The Hartman Group; Roche Financial Inc.; Beiter’s Furniture, Mattress, Appliance; and Pennsylvania College of Technology. Funding from these valued partners, along with businesses who participate in the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, has ensured that the mission of the UMC continues to be met and has allowed the school to create a successful scholarship and financial aid program that ensures all students with a love of music have a chance to nurture their passions.

The Uptown Music Collective will soon kick off its annual campaign, a fundraising event that provides an opportunity for the nonprofit to raise the funds necessary to keep its programs alive. The school aims to raise $50,000 by January.

“Our 2025 campaign — Legacy: The Next 25 Years — is about making sure the work we’ve built continues long after this celebration ends,” Brumbaugh said. “As we step into the next 25 years, I invite you to stand with us again. Help us keep this legacy alive — not as nostalgia, but as momentum. So that decades from now, more young people will look back and remember this place with gratitude, pride and the quiet knowledge that it helped them become who they are.”

For more information, including the announcement of upcoming shows, visit uptownmusic.org or follow the Uptown Music Collective on socials. More details about the 25th anniversary show will be distributed in the coming weeks.

To make a contribution to this year’s annual campaign, learn more about becoming a partner or discuss a donation of public stock, visit the website or email adrienne@uptownmusic.org.