2021 Deborah Beene Memorial Music Scholarship Award recipient Pianist Yunseo Kim. Courtesy photo
2021 Deborah Beene Memorial Music Scholarship Award recipient Trombonist Jackson Bell. Courtesy photo
2021 Deborah Beene Memorial Music Scholarship Award. recipient Cellist Ursula Coe Courtesy photo
MUSIC News:
Winners of this year’s Deborah Beene Memorial Music Scholarship awards are Jackson Bell, trombone; Yunseo Kim, piano; and Ursula Coe, cello.
The award was established in the memory of Deborah Beene, daughter of Don and Sara Beene, a violin and piano student who died in December 1972 while enrolled in school in Los Alamos.
Bell and Coe are both prior winners of the award and graduating seniors from Los Alamos High School (LAHS). Bell will continue his passion for trombone as a music educator and has been accepted into the programs at Berklee College and the University of New Mexico.
Coe’s ambition is to become a symphony cellist. She will attend the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland next fall, a top performing arts school. Bell is taught by William Waag and Coe is taught by Dana Winograd.
Kim will be a junior at LAHS next year. She is involved in many different musical programs and genres with her piano, including her church worship team. Kim is taught by Janna Warren.
These young musicians also are very thoughtful and inspiring.
Here are some quotes from their applications:
- “Mr. Waag, the director of the SFYSO, along with my band teacher Mr. Finn, have been the two reasons I dream of becoming a music educator. Their support of my passion for the last 6 years has inspired me to push future generations of musicians like they have pushed me.”
- “…I have truly seen how music brings people together. Regardless of mistakes, competition, or our differences, we learn to respect and support each other’s dedication and efforts….”
- “…I hope to become a “holistic musician” with skills far beyond technical musicianship so that I can both contribute to the beauty of a symphonic orchestra and the needs of society.”
The Deborah Beene Memorial Scholarship has been providing awards to Los Alamos student musicians since 1973; and hopes to continue through its 50-year anniversary next year and beyond. Unfortunately, the awards were determined again this year virtually due to the pandemic, but next year we hope to have public auditions again.
The awards are intended to recognize and encourage the continued musical growth of young musicians. Donations can be made at Enterprise Bank – the account is “Deborah Beene Memorial Scholarship Fund”. All donations go to the awards. This year we were able to provide $3,000 in awards. Any inquiries or feedback can be emailed to DeborahBeeneScholarship@gmail.com. Thank you to all of this year’s applicants and to Cindy Little and Michelle Rosette for their support. A big thank you as well to Brian Newnam and the Los Alamos Rotary Club for their support of the award from 1995-2020.
