Sunriver Music Festival awards $37,400 in scholarships
The Sunriver Music Festival’s Young Artists Scholarship program awarded $37,400 to 26 classical music students between the ages of 13 to 24 over the weekend of June 2 – 4.
“This year, out of the twenty-six scholarships, seven of the students were new applicants,” explains Pam Beezley, executive director of the Sunriver Music Festival. “While it is exciting to see new talent, it is wonderful seeing past winners continue to audition each year too.”
Beezley points out that one of this year’s scholarship winners, Miya Saito Beckman, violin, is celebrating 11 straight scholarship years. Two students, Taylor Gonzales, piano, and Kiarra Saito Beckman, violin, have won scholarships for eight years.
“These students continue to inspire anyone who hears them perform,” adds Beezley. “They are very musically talented and many have significant financial needs, so these scholarships are critical to our mission of nurturing classical music for generations to come.”
Scholarships are awarded in three categories: 1) College or Music Conservatory tuition, 2) Private music lessons and 3) Music camps. To qualify for scholarships, students must reside in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook and Harney counties and they must aspire to be professional classical musicians.
On Sunday, June 11 th the 2017 scholarship winners were set to perform to a full house at the annual Young Artists Scholarship Concert at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Sunriver.
Launched in 1996, the Young Artists Scholarship program has awarded $474,700 to 142 Central Oregon music students in middle school, high school, and college. The scholarship program began with a generous grant from the Sunriver Women’s Club.
Today , the Young Artists Scholarship is primarily supported by a growing number of individual contributors. The Women’s Club continues to support the festival’s music education programs in addition to other grants from the Rotary Club of Sunriver-La Pine, Bank of the Cascades and the Oregon Community Foundation.
For more information about the Young Artists Scholarship program or to purchase tickets to the 40 th Anniversary Season, call the Sunriver Music Festival Ticket Office at 541-593-9310 , email at information@sunrivermusic.org or visit the website at www.sunrivermusic.org .
The Sunriver Music Festival runs from August 11 -23. Concerts will be at the historic Sunriver Resort Great Hall, the Tower Theatre, and the Bend Church of the Nazarene. The annual Festival Faire Dinner and Auction will be held on Sunday , July 16th at the Sunriver Resort Great Hall. Tickets are currently on sale for the summer concerts and Festival Faire.
