Published on April 10, 2024 by Anne Madison Adcock  
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Samford University School of the Arts’ annual Division of Music Honors Recital and Awards Ceremony took place Tuesday, March 26, in Brock Recital Hall. Hosted by Joel Davis, interim chair of the Division of Music, the event was attended by faculty, staff, students, donors and parents. Dean Lance Beaumont gave a brief welcome greeting to kick off the evening.

Musical acts throughout the evening included performances by members of the Commercial Music Chamber Ensemble and other School of the Arts students including Sarah Remetich, Brennen Ramsey, Kacie Bell, Jacob Hery, Kayla Magnus, Bianca Fasanelli and Lee Ann Ashworth.

Davis recognized new members of Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society. Election to Pi Kappa Lambda is indicative of superior attainment in music; accordingly, membership in this honor society recognizes the highest level of musical achievement and academic scholarship. Undergraduate inductees included Sarah Remetich, Alex Cook, Hannah Miller, Josh McPherson and Christina Herring. Graduate inductees were Sebastian Black, Mary Brook Diamond, Kalyne Henrichsen, Jordan Dark and Lauren Tinsley.

The Bush Hills Music Club’s Jan Hill 2023-2024 Vocal Music Award was presented to Kalyne Henrichsen.

Associate professor Cindy St. Clair presented the 2024 Dawson Organ Scholarship Award to Millicent Hawthorne. The Dawson Organ Scholarship Award is to provide scholarship assistance for currently enrolled or incoming Division of Music students pursuing studies in organ. The recipient is chosen based upon academic standing, organ proficiency, financial need and overall character.

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St. Clair also presented the 2024 Shepherd–Walker Award to Mallori Finney. The Shepherd-Walker Award was given by Ellis J. Parker in honor of his aunt and great music teacher, Robina Walker, as well as her pupil, Betty Sue Shepherd. The award is to be given to the “student who has used his/her own talent and education to enrich the lives of others.” 

Davis presented the Outstanding Student of the Year Awards to freshman Dylan Branson, sophomore Shannon Boutwell, junior Allison Frederick, senior Sarah Remetich and graduate student Sebastian Black.

St. Clair honored the following undergraduate students for their work as a 2023-24 Academy of the Arts Teaching Fellow: Allison Frederick, Kayla Magnus and Ana Wright. The Academy of the Arts Teaching Fellows Program provides School of the Arts students the opportunity to gain teaching experience during their undergraduate years. Teaching Fellows are chosen based on a 3.0 GPA or higher and with the recommendation of their School of the Arts applied, practicum or pedagogy professor. 

Davis presented the 2024 Howard Weldon Smith Award to Meredith Hudson. The Howard Weldon Smith Violin Scholarship Award is created by a gift from Marie Smith in memory of her husband, Howard Weldon Smith. The purpose of the fund is to provide an annual scholarship to a student majoring in music at Samford University who is a violinist. The recipient is chosen based on both academic work and performance skills.

Faculty member Jonathan Rodgers presented the 2024 Barbara Stevens Price Church Music Scholarship Award to Katie Schansberg. This fund was established by Milburn Price in honor of his wife, Barbara Stevens Price, on the occasion of their 35th anniversary. It is awarded to a church music major who has demonstrated outstanding progress in music studies in both academic and performance areas.

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Professor Kristin Kenning presented the 2024 Eva Clapp White Memorial Voice Scholarship Award to Bianca Fasanelli. Established by Paul Gaston White, the Eva Clapp White Memorial Voice Scholarship Award is awarded to a voice student as selected by the dean of the School of the Arts upon the recommendation of the voice faculty. In a letter to a contributor of this scholarship award, retired Dean Milburn Price said, “because of Eva’s long years of faithful and productive teaching in the [Division] of Music, her family determined that there could be no more appropriate way to honor her and her memory than this scholarship fund.”

St. Clair and Professor Grant Dalton presented the Jeff and Lori Northrup Music Performance Scholarship Awards. The Jeff and Lori Northrup Music Performance Scholarship fund was established to annually award monies to outstanding students completing their junior year of undergraduate music studies.  These students are to be chosen because they represent the highest standard of musical performance.

  • The 2024 Northrup Keyboard Performance Award was presented to junior James Powers.
  • The 2024 Northrup Instrumental Performance Award was presented to junior Brennen Ramsey.
  • The 2024 Northrup Scholar Award was presented to Brennen Ramsey.

Assistant professor Steven Potaczek presented the 2024 Presser Scholar Award to senior Josh McPherson. The award celebrates students, selected by music faculty, who have achieved a high level of musical and academic excellence and have exemplified equity and inclusion values.

Davis closed the evening by recognizing and congratulating our spring graduates and inviting everyone to a reception.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.