Generous New Scholarships Established
by VICTORIA MURRAY BRAND

Since last spring, The Juilliard School has been fortunate to have 13 new scholarships and one new prize established.

The Genevieve Kniese Chaudhuri Cello Scholarship, given by Bernard Cerilli, is nearly summed up by its title. Genevieve completed graduate cello studies at Juilliard in 1946 and went on to have a 31-year career with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Her friend and colleague, clarinetist Bernard Cerilli of Pittsburgh, honored Ms. Chaudhuri’s lifelong artistry by endowing a scholarship for Juilliard’s young cellists.

In memory of her late husband who was Juilliard’s controller for nearly 20 years, Sylvia Ruckens has endowed a scholarship for drama students. Known as the Irving Ruckens Scholarship this new award reflects the longtime devotion and generosity of both Irving and Sylvia, who were an ever-present couple at Juilliard events, until Irving’s death last August.

The Pre-College Division has two newly endowed scholarships, given by grateful parents of graduating Pre-College musicians. Penn and Diane Holsenbeck, whose daughter Suzannah studied French horn with Ann Ellsworth in the Pre-College Division, endowed a scholarship for Pre-College brass instrument students, The award, known as the Nancy Penn Holsenbeck Scholarship was named in memory of Suzannah’s grandmother. Pre-College parents Lillian Li and Dennis Cheung established a scholarship for Pre-College pianists, naming it the Jane and James Li Piano Scholarship in honor of Dr. Li’s parents and in celebration of their son Eric Cheung’s graduation. Eric studied piano with Frank Levy; their daughter Tracy studies piano with Yoheved Kaplinsky in Juilliard’s Pre-College Division.

A new endowed scholarship for singers or instrumentalists, the Richard A. Holman Scholarship, has been created by Bernard and Marjorie Sunshine, in memory of Mrs. Holman’s brother. This scholarship will be awarded to second-year undergraduate musicians from the New York City area.

The Frank M. and Mildred N. Figueroa Scholarship will give welcome support to Juilliard dancers, actors, or musicians of Latino descent. A musicologist and author, Dr. Frank Figueroa led a Latin band and had a career in broadcasting. In creating this new scholarship, he cited his friend and colleague saxophonist Ray Santos, Juilliard Diploma ’52, as a source of his inspiration.

Juilliard has appreciated support from the Samsung Foundation of Culture and Welfare in the past, and is grateful to announce the establishment of the new Samsung Scholarship Award, which will be directed to undergraduate and graduate violin Juilliard students of Korean heritage.

The American Jewish Congress/ Itzhak Perlman Scholarship was recently established at Juilliard for violinists.

A new scholarship for pianists, The Kamiya Sisters (Taeko and Harumi) Piano Scholarship, was established by Taeko Kamiya, a California-based translator and author. The Kamiya sisters have had a lifelong interest in music, beginning with their own piano studies.

Juilliard has been named in several recent bequests, with scholarship assistance provided for harpists, conductors, and singers. Through the Helen H. Barlow Trust, an award for harpists has been created, known as the Robert Wayne Barlow Prize in Harp Performance. The late David Clayson generously named Juilliard as a beneficiary of his retirement annuity, permanently endowing the David Clayson Scholarship for Voice.

The Juilliard School is especially grateful to have received bequests from former faculty members. The Estate of Viola Peters Funaro has provided a bequest for The Viola Peters Scholarship Fund, designated for voice students. Ms. Peters had a long and successful career as an opera coach and served on the faculty of the school from 1931 to 1994.

Through the Estate of Pauline Koner, Juilliard conductors will receive the Fritz Mahler Scholarship. Ms. Koner, a longtime member of Juilliard’s dance faculty, made provision for this scholarship in memory of her husband, conductor and composer Fritz Mahler.

The Juilliard School is very grateful for the scholarships and awards that alumni, faculty, and friends have generously given this year. The school always welcomes the opportunity to discuss ways to support our educational and artistic activities through a variety of programs including currently funded scholarships, endowed scholarships, special project support, bequests, and planned gifts. For more information about contributing to Juilliard, please call the Office of Development and Public Affairs at (212) 799-5000, ext. 278, or visit the Giving to Juilliard section of our Web site.

Victoria Murray Brand is senior development associate and scholarship coordinator.