UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Music's annual Spring Scholarship Competition awarded seven students significant scholarships based on their performances, and one student received an award recognizing cumulative achievements and contributions to the school.
The winner of the 2016 Atherton Memorial Music Award is junior percussionist Kyle McKay. The son of Sarah and Daniel McKay, Kyle is a music education major from Drexel Hill. He is a percussion student of Dan C. Armstrong. Kyle currently participates in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Mallet Ensemble. After graduating in 2017, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in percussion performance before obtaining a teaching job in an elementary school. He also intends to maintain an active performance career and teach privately.
Kyle was also named the performance achievement winner of the 2016 College of Arts and Architecture's Reuben and Gladys Golumbic Scholarship Award. This scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated superior design, humanistic and performance records, and who have proven their potential for significant contribution to the arts and humanities.
The 2016 Presser Scholarship winner is James Nackley, a native of Hollidaysburg, and the son of Daniel and Heather Nackley. A junior cellist in the music education degree program, he is a student of Kim Cook. James was a winner of the 2015 Philharmonic Concerto Competition and was chosen as a soloist for the 2015 School of Music's Mosaic performance. He is a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Cello Choir, a string quartet, Penn State Glee Club, Campus Orchestra (playing violin and viola), and Campus Band (playing French horn). He also is a cellist with the Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, and Altoona Symphony Orchestra.
The Eleanor Beene Scholarship Awards are given in honor of Eleanor Beene (1915-1986) to honor her love of music and to recognize the outstanding pool of talent in the Penn State School of Music. Four students received 2016 Eleanor Beene scholarships.
Sophomore violinist Eunice Kang performed “Tzigane” by Maurice Ravel for the competition. A student of Max Zorin, she participates in Philharmonic Orchestra. She is pursuing a double major in musical arts and biology, and hopes to attend dental school after graduation. Eunice is the daughter of Dong Kang and Sun Yoon, and lives in Anchorage, Alaska.
From Piscataway, New Jersey, sophomore percussionist Christian Lopez is the son of Victor and Alexandra Lopez. A member of the percussion studio of Dan C. Armstrong, he played “Black Sphynx” by Leander Kaiser for the competition. Christian is a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and the Marching Blue Band.
Pianist William Preston is a junior in the studio of Timothy Shafer. He is the son of Richard and Amy Preston from Yardley. Will serves as collaborative pianist for the Glee Club and intends to pursue a graduate degree in collaborative and voice coaching. His competition repertoire was Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Etude Tableaux in D Minor” and “Un Sospiro” by Franz Liszt.
Freshman tenor Sean Toso hails from State College and is the son of Dale and Blaire Toso. A member of Norman Spivey’s voice studio, he performed "Ombra mai fu" (from Serse) by George Friderich Handel, "Am Feierabend" (from Die Schöne Müllerin) by Franz Schubert, "Early in the Morning" by Ned Rorem, and "I'll sail upon the Dog-star" (from A Fool's Preferment) by Henry Purcell. Sean is a member of the Concert Choir and Glee Club, and intends to pursue an advanced degree in music upon graduation.
Sean Toso was also named winner of the Margot Bos Vocal Award for 2016, which supports excellence in vocal performance. It is awarded to the outstanding vocal candidate in the Spring Scholarship Competition and is endowed by the Margot Music Fund, created by the family and friends of singer Margot Bos (1962-2000).
The School of Music presented its award for outstanding performance to junior music education major Patrick Feher. A saxophonist, he is a student of David B. Stambler and Dan Yoder, and is a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble, the Penn State Saxophone Quartet, various jazz combos, and the Glee Club. Patrick served as an event coordinator for the Penn State Jazz Festival and is the president of the Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association's state executive board. Patrick is the son of Patty and Phil Feher, of Jamison.
Presented by the College of Arts and Architecture, the Awards for Creative Achievement recognize students who exemplify the objectives of the college with respect to enhancement of the arts. Consideration is given to students (preferably final year) who have proven themselves over an extended period of time. The School of Music's recipient is Sebastian Goodridge, who will receive a bachelor of arts degree in music technology and a bachelor of science degree in engineering science in May 2016. A fifth-year senior, Sebastian is the son of Mickey Goodridge and Yvonne Leonguerrero, and lives in Manassas, Virginia. His applied instructors at Penn State include percussionists Dan C. Armstrong, Marko Marcinko, and Giff Howarth, as well as composer Paul Barsom and music technology professor Mark Ballora. While a Penn State student, Sebastian has participated in concert bands and jazz bands, Chamber Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Mallet Ensemble. He has served the College of Engineering as an undergraduate research intern and served the School of Music as a sound and recording engineer. Upon graduation, Sebastian plans to pursue a master’s degree in engineering science and mechanics from Penn State to build his own recording studio, and to continue to play live music.