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Recipients of Rosemary Glyde Scholarships for 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006

Profiles of Rosemary Glyde Scholarships Recipients
(Information below was current as of the time the Scholarships were awarded)

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Recipients for 2005

Daniel Hedinger, from Clark, New Jersey, is the recipient of a Rosemary Glyde Scholarship. Daniel is a student at the Wychwood Academy in Florham Park, New Jersey, and studies with Dr. Laura Mount in the Mannes College Preparatory Division. "When I first immersed myself into the world of classical music, I began by studying the violin without even knowing that I would someday play the viola. Ö After seven years of playing the violin I heard a violist play solo, and was impressed by Ö [I]ts many good qualities such as its tone and the soothing and pleasant sounds of it high and low registers Ö. At present, I am in the viola section of the Mannes Preparatory Senior Orchestra, and I greatly enjoy the camaraderie of the other violists. Being in the viola section allows me to truly listen to the structure and phrasings of the orchestra because I am not always playing the melody. It allows me, as a violist, to have a keen understanding of what is going on around me. I also enjoy the solo literature. It appeals to my ear, my technique, and my feelings. These are some of the reasons with I chose and love to play the viola."

In addition, the Scholarship Committee awarded two special incentive scholarships to younger students still in their early years of studying and playing the viola. Recipients of these special awards are:

Shani Paul, from Staten Island, New York, is a fifth grade student at the Brooklyn Friends School. Shani studies in the Juilliard Music Advancement Program with Judith Insell. "On Saturdays, I went to Juilliard with my sister and my mom thought it would be a good idea for me to take lessons with Judith Insell who is the viola teacher rather than sitting around. Last year when I started fifth grade at Brooklyn Friends School, I decided that it would be a good time to switch instruments to the viola so that I could get extra practice. Then this year in May, I auditioned again for MAP, playing viola and was accepted. Ö Although I followed my sister into playing the viola, I enjoy playing it and I like that I know the alto clef and most people who play other instruments usually only know the bass and treble clefs. I also like that I am getting better at playing a piece of music without hearing it first. Right now, I have to play a violin that has viola strings because my hands are too short for a regular sized viola. I can't wait until I can play a real viola because I like the sound better than the violin."

Asha Paul, from Staten Island, New York, is a seventh grade student at the Brooklyn Friends School. Asha studies in the Juilliard Music Advancement Program with Judith Insell. "When I was accepted to Brooklyn Friends School, I received a letter asking me to choose whether I wanted to be in the chorus or orchestra. I chose the orchestra but then had to select which instrument I wanted to play. The choices were viola, violin and cello. Since I already knew about the violin and cello and did not know anything about the viola, I decided to give it a try. Ö Since I started studying the viola, I was able to be in the Juilliard Music Advancement Program (MAP) for two years and have been accepted to the Staten Island Youth Orchestra. I do not think that if I played another instrument I would have gotten these opportunities. Although, sometimes I didn't like playing when the piece was difficult, I felt really good about myself when I finally understood it. Also, some pieces make me feel happy, like "La Sorella". I am glad I chose to play the viola. Through my playing I have met new friends and received exciting opportunities."

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Recipients for 2004

Hari Bernstein, a 10th grade student at LaGuardia/Performing Arts High School in Manhattan. She studies with Viktor Basis at the Lucy Moses School. She plays with the ISO Symphony Orchestra and New York Youth Symphony, and chamber music at the Lucy Moses School and LaGuardia High School. "The joy that I find from playing the viola comes from the idiosyncratic nature of the instrument. The sound of the viola is ambiguous by nature - not quite a violin in brightness, and not deep like that of a cello. In this same tradition of ambiguity, every viola is different - there is no standard size, and no standard quality of sound. I enjoy viola because it is about feeling and the connection between the player and the instrument - it is a question of chemistry and the compatibility between wood and flesh. My viola is my closest friend but like a real friend, we have our ups and downs - it takes work, compromise, to maintain the bond that I have with my instrument - the relationship of giving and taking, good times and bad, makes my viola a living thing."

Jonathan Bregman, a 10th grade student at the Pingry School in Martinsville, New Jersey. He studies with Patinka Kopec at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division. He plays with the New Jersey All-State Orchestra and Regional Orchestra and in the Manhattan Prep's Philharmonic Orchestra as well as chamber music at Manhattan. He also is a student at the Perlman Music Program and has performed with their string orchestra in recent concerts at Carnegie Hall and in Washington D.C. After beginning to play the viola after many years as a violinist, "I was instantly captivated. The quality and depth to the instrument's sound is incredible - its warmth is unmatched. Practicing, for me, has become a daily, but always eagerly anticipated escape from all other responsibility. The hours spent playing are ones of complete devotion to the instrument - nothing else in the world has significance. The rich, mellow tones of the viola unfailingly facilitate a release from daily monotony. The instrument is beautiful, I simply love it."

Alexander Tasopoulos, a Senior at Smithtown High School on Long Island. He studies with Dr. Laura Mount at the Mannes College Preparatory Division. He plays in the Smithtown High School Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra and Senior Orchestra at Mannes Prep, and chamber music at both schools. In addition, he plays Bass Guitar and Acoustic Guitar and performs in Rock and Jazz bands, including "Locker 47". "I began studying the violin on a 1/8 size instrument at the age of four. I played my first recital for my kindergarten class that year. I learned to read music before I could read English, yet at the time, I had no idea how important music would become to me. Three years later, I began attending the Mannes College of Music preparatory school where I had my first music theory class and played in my first orchestra. Every Saturday morning since, I got in the car or on the train and rode 60 miles to the city. ... [W]hen I played the viola for the first time, its sound was like a revelation to me. I loved the viola's deep and rich sound, and I prepared a solo for NYSSMA (a state-wide music competition) on viola that year. By 11th grade, I was playing violin in my school orchestra, viola at Mannes, bass guitar in my band, and acoustic guitar with my friends and at home. Although I enjoyed playing all four instruments, the viola is by far my favorite. Ö [Music is] a huge part of me... I want to become the best violist I can be; I want to learn as much as I can about music theory and music history and to share this knowledge with others, and I want to spend the rest of my life playing music."

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Recipients for 2003

Junior Division Scholarship

• Adam Kramer from New York, New York, a student of Joan Harper at the Mannes College Preparatory Division.

Senior Division Scholarships

• Nicholas Revel from Wilton, Connecticut, a student of Richard Auldon Clark at the Manhattan School Preparatory Division.

• Jessica Lauren Velez from South Ozone Park, New York, a student of Sadae Teraoka at the Childrens’ Orchestra Society.

• Valentina Shohdy from New York, New York, a student of Joan Harper at the Mannes College Preparatory Division.

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Recipients for 2002

Junior Division Scholarships

• Isabel Hagen from New York, New York, a student of Patricio Diaz at the Third Street Music School Settlement.

• Cynthia Salti from New York, New York, a student of Judith Insell-Staack.

• Veronica Glivinskaya from Brooklyn, New York, a student of Dr. Laura Mount at the Mannes College Preperatory Division.

Senior Division Scholarships

• David Aaron Carpenter, from Great Neck, New York, a student of Richard Auldon Clark at the Manhattan School Preparatory Division.

• Meena Moghtader Bhasin, from Plainview, New York, a student of Patinka Kopec at the Manhattan School Preparatory Division.

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Recipients for 2001

Junior Division Scholarships

• Emma Morrison from Brooklyn, New York, a student of Ina Litera at the Third Street Music Settlement School.

• Ian Tomesch from Succasunna, New Jersey, a private student of Elizabeth Schulze.

Senior Division Scholarships

• Crista Kende from Locust Valley, New York, a student of Eugene Becker at the Juilliard School Pre-College.

• Jeffrey Wolter from North Bellmore, New York, a student of Richard Auldon Clark at the Manhattan School Preparatory Division.

• Marisa Bushman from Yonkers, New York, a of Laura Mount at the Mannes School Preparatory Division.

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Recipients for 2000

• Alexander Yanis, from Manhattan, a student of Ina Litera at the Third Street Music Settlement;

• Lauren Gerchow, from Mendham, New Jersey, a student of Elizabeth Schulze;

• Lillian Pickett, from Manhattan, a student of Lisa Whitfield at the Third Street Music Settlement; and

• Lea Vasquez, from Manhattan, a student of Judith Insell-Staack at the Bloomingdale School of Music.

NYVS also awarded a seed money grant from the Rosemary Glyde Scholarship Program to be used by the Music Department of The Harlem School of the Arts, Inc. to help establish a new viola studies program under the direction of violist and teacher Richard Spencer.

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