BU Tanglewood Institute: Raising Their Voices for BUTI

John and Ellen Yates have seen how Boston University Tanglewood Institute can change lives. That’s why they’re establishing a fund to support the Young Artists Vocal Program.

John and Ellen Yates (Parents BUTI’05) had never been to western Massachusetts until their son, Paul, studied at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute the summer before his senior year in high school.

“I think I’d flown over the Berkshires,” John jokes, but that was all they really knew about the place. Fortunately, Paul’s choral director in their hometown of Atlanta knew more—and was happy to recommend young Paul for the BUTI Young Artists Vocal Program.

“Although he moved away from music in his career, BUTI was a great help to him. He was able to leverage that into a vocal scholarship for college,” John says, adding with a chuckle: “He does sing to our grandson.”

And the whole family was impressed with the institute. “It’s very focused on its mission, which is to engage young people and nurture their talents,” says John. “We had a great interest in helping to promote BUTI.”

So when executive director Hilary Respass asked him to join the advisory council, he gladly said yes. As a result, he (and Ellen; “my wife and I do just about everything together”) learned more about BUTI and its strategic planning process.

“We were very impressed with the way Hilary and her team are coordinating that process and bringing the institute back into good financial standing,” John says. “Financial viability is very important, and Hilary has worked well with BU to ensure that BUTI will be self-supporting.”

He and Ellen are happy to join that effort. In addition to connecting BUTI with potential partners and students in Atlanta, they recently pledged $100,000 to establish the Yates Family Scholarship in support of the vocal program. They also work hard to spread the word, in Atlanta and beyond, about the power of a BUTI experience.

“It really has changed a lot of these kids’ lives,” John says, “especially those that otherwise wouldn’t have access to this kind of training.”