Left to right: violinist Mercer Greenwald, vocalist Nicole Jones and vocalist Garrett Derosia.
The Bennington County Choral Society is pleased to announce that three musicians from area high schools received awards at the BCCS 2016 Music Scholarship Auditions, held Monday, May 16, at the Second Congregational Church in Bennington, Vermont.
Mercer Greenwald, a junior at Mt. Greylock Regional School in Williamstown, Massachusetts, was awarded a $500 scholarship for her viola solo of Jules Massenet’s Meditation de Thais and Courante from “Solo Cello Suite No. 1” by J.S. Bach.
Nicole Jones, a senior at Mt. Greylock Regional School, received a $500 scholarship for her vocal performance of Long Time Ago by Aaron Copland and Stephen Sondheim’s Children Will Listen.
Vocalist Garrett Derosia, a senior at Mt. Anthony Union High School in Bennington, Vermont, performed Leonard Bernstein’s Simple Song and Gabriel Faure’s Les Berceaux. He was presented with a $100 special recognition award.
This year’s audience was also treated to highly-talented vocal and instrumental performances from Sebastian Durfee and Kevin Gorry of Mount Anthony Union High School; Patrick Staples of the Long Trail School in Dorset, Vermont; Emily Williams from Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, Vermont; and Danielle St. Hilaire and Renee St. Hilaire of the Hoosick Falls (New York) Central School.
The 40th anniversary of the Bennington County Choral Society will be observed in 2017. Since 1977, BCCS scholarships have encouraged future artists by providing financial support for the continued study of music. To date, nearly $27,000 has been awarded to 91 aspiring high school musicians from Bennington County and neighboring communities in Vermont; Cambridge, Hoosick, Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh, New York; and North Adams and Williamstown, Massachusetts.
For additional information on the Bennington County Choral Society 2017 Scholarship Audition, please contact Paul Lambert.