Musical Showcase for Scholarships

The 2023 School of Music’s Annual Musical Showcase for Scholarships took place on Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Frank Arts Center Theater. The evening’s program featured performances by the exceptional faculty, students, and School of Music alumni, in an effort to raise much-needed scholarship money.

Highlights of the evening include solo performances by alumnus pianist Jason Solounias, and current students—saxophonist Jacob Miner, vocalist Ben Smith, harpist Charity Meyer, and percussionist Anthony Domina.

Pianist Dr. Yu-Hsuan Liao, associate professor of music, along with husband-and-wife alumni pianist Heidi Macaluso and percussionist Anthony Stoika, performed “Libertango,” by Astor Piazzolla, transcribed by Kyoko Yamamoto and adapted by Liao for piano four hands and percussion.

Adjunct faculty professors Richard Polonchak on bassoon and Greg Shook on oboe, with pianist Dr. Laura Renninger presented Lalliet’s “Terzetto for  Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano.” Adjunct faculty Andrea Diggs on flute and Dr. Erica Rumbley, clinical faculty of musicology and collaborative piano, performed “Tacos and Strawberries,” a piece for flute and piano composed by Dr. Stefan Swanson, assistant professor of music theory, composition, and technology.

The evening also included a performance of a composition by current student Jackson Cohen, and concluded with a performance by a choir of Shepherd music alumni. Following the concert, the audience was invited to a meet-the-artists dessert reception in the McCoy Rehearsal Hall.

Dr. Mary J. C. Hendrix, Shepherd president, once again served as honorary chair of the event. The Showcase Committee was co-chaired by Dr. Marcia Brand and Alan B. Gibson.

Over the last six years, this event has brought in more than $200,000 for student recruitment and retention. The phenomenal support from the Musical Showcase for Scholarships is essential to maintaining enrollment and reaching the projection of 120 strategically selected music majors.

The Shepherd University School of Music is grateful for the support of all who attended the 2023 Musical Showcase for Scholarships and its generous sponsors.

2023 Musical Showcase for Scholarships Sponsors

Director – $5,000+
Anonymous
Beth Batdorf and John Bresland
Susan Kemnitzer

Virtuoso – $2,500+
Marcia Brand and Mark Outhier
Daniel Clarke – NexGen Music
Liz and Chris Giese
Mary Hendrix and Charles Craft
Vickie Weagly and Polly Kuhns

Conductor – $1,000+
Marianne Alexander
Susan and Gat Caperton
Alan Gibson
Susan Mills
Anne and Roger Munro
Susan Schramm and Rose Jorgeson

Concertmaster – $500+
Anonymous
Judith and Mark Briod
Jack and Pat Egle
Peter and Victoria Smith
Rob Tudor and Bobb Robinson

Friend – $250+
Joe and Susan Brookreson
John and Helen Burns
Judith Miller Jones
Tracy Palmer
David and Leah Rampy

Please make checks payable to Shepherd University Foundation.  On the form, under “Please designate my gift to:” be sure to check “Other” and write in A Musical Showcase for Scholarships.

For Showcase sponsorship information, please contact Christine Meyer at 304-876-5526 or cmeyer@shepherd.edu.

Here are highlights from the 2019 Musical Showcase for Scholarships.
Here are highlights from the 2018 Musical Showcase for Scholarships.
Here are highlights from the 2017 Musical Showcase for Scholarships.
For more information, call 304-876-5555

Thank you for your generous support! I am the youngest of 4 in my family and I’m in my second year of college. Education is something that my family and I value immensely, and I am so grateful for all who have supported the Shepherd School of Music. I’m looking forward to advancing my education and being back in concerts with all your continuous support!
-Isaac Cheston, BME – Instrumental, 2022

The Music Foundation Scholarship pays a significant portion of my tuition here at Shepherd University. With that financial burden lifted, I am able to comfortably experience all of the wonderful things this department has to offer, which enhances my education greatly. I can improve myself both musically and academically with your support through this scholarship. Thank you so much for your continued generosity!
-Sophie Palmer, BME – Vocal 2021

Without the foundation scholarship, I would not have landed in the wonderful community Shepherd has to offer. I have seen myself grow just in the short year I have been here. Through these tough times, I have really seen the passion and dedication the faculty and students have. Thank you to everyone who continues to support Shepherd, and allows students like me to grow into the musician and educator I strive to be.
-Katherine Fetting, BME – Instrumental, 2023

Thank you. Those two words in our society do not always carry as much weight as they are worth. People throw around “thank you’s” out of politeness and rarely out of extreme, indescribable gratitude. This “thank you” is not one that I am saying to be courteous or to appear to be kind in character, but one that is coming from the depths of my being.

Without your support, I would not be able to attend Shepherd University without a significant financially based worry about whether I would be able to continue my education in the future. The School of Music does not only provide me with an education that I will cherish for the rest of my life, but also a community that I think of like a family. You have given me the opportunity to learn not just about music, but also about other people and about where I want my place in the community to be after I graduate.

Already I have felt the effects of your support through my education and the relationships that I have made in this past year. Even though this was only my first year as a student in the School of Music, I have already developed close bonds with my professors and learned how to think more musically than I ever thought I could in a single year. I would not trade the world for these two personal developments.

I consider my education and community that I have attained from being in the Shepherd University School of Music to be one of the most important things in my life. This education and the relationships that I have made would not be possible without your support. I sincerely thank you for helping to provide me with what I have been able to attain from the School of Music.

Thank you, wholeheartedly, for your support,
-Sianna King, BME – Instrumental, BA – Piano Pedagogy, 2023