NANCY F. WALKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Pandemic Can’t Stop the Music
Matinée Musicale Awards $51,000 in Scholarships

Matinée Musicale Cincinnati is among the local arts organizations deeply affected by the pandemic, but it has risen to the challenge of maintaining its mission to present and promote classical music in the community. Thanks to technology, the hush resulting from the coronavirus shutdowns was interrupted this spring by the uplifting sounds of music when Matinée Musicale held its Nancy F. Walker Memorial Scholarship Competition for classical instrumental and vocal students. Click here to see the winners!

After much discussion – with legal consultation and agreement from its judges – Matinée Musicale adjusted its regular procedures in order to hold the competition online, since auditions could not be held in person. High School and college juniors and seniors from the Tri-state (Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren Counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Indiana) were eligible to apply.

All eight counties were represented with a total of 65 applicants from 4 colleges, 21 high schools and several homeschools. Among the winners were a set of siblings, who each won 2nd place, one at the college level, the other at the high school level. Hearty congratulations to all of these very talented and accomplished young musicians!

Following the competition, students were pleased to receive the comments from the very distinguished panels of judges:

Instrumental Judges:

• Dan Culnan – Associate Principal Cellist, Cincinnati Symphony; pianist

• Karen Schneider – well known for her teaching and embouchure problem solving skills; has been on the faculty of the Kendall Betts Horn Camp and the Barry Tuckwell Institute
• Manami White – Concertmaster, Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaster and Associate Director, Collegium Cincinnati; Principal Second Violin and Personnel Manager, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra; Concertmaster, South Florida Symphony Orchestra; Concertmaster, Ohio Valley Symphony

Vocal Judges:

• Mark Calkins, Associate Professor of Music, Voice; Berea College; past President of the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing; teacher of master classes in classical operatic and musical theater performance internationally

• Evans Mirageas, Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera
• Morgan Smith, Baritone, one of the most prolific performers of modern operatic repertoire in the world