Scholarship gifts make it possible for talented young students to attend Precollege at Manhattan School of Music.
At Manhattan School of Music, we strive to offer all possible opportunities to our students, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Funding for qualified students is limited, and so these generous scholarship gifts are essential to our School.
For the 2023–24 academic year, tuition for the Precollege Division is $10,815. There are two types of named scholarships in our program, which are either named for the donor, or in honor or memory of someone.
MSM Precollege program is held Saturdays throughout the school year.
Establishing A Named Annual Precollege Scholarship
Annual scholarships for Precollege students may be established with a minimum gift of $2,500 and may be designated to a specific area of study. Annual funds are awarded to students until all monies in the fund are distributed, usually in a single year.
Annual named scholarships for the 2022-23 year include:
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Alfred and Jane Ross Precollege Scholarship
The Alfred and Jane Ross Precollege Scholarship is awarded to a student in the Precollege program.
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Chloe Kiffer Precollege Scholarship
Established in 2021, the Chloe Kiffer Precollege Scholarship is awarded annually to two exceptionally gifted and very promising violin or viola students.
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Hansoree Scholarship
The Hansoree Scholarship was created to provide financial support in the Precollege Division of Manhattan School of Music to help young musicians.
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Josephine Luby Precollege Scholarship
The Josephine Luby Precollege Scholarship was created by an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege program who loves music and wants to ensure talented students with a passion for music are able to get training at the highest level, regardless of their financial means.
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Ponsie Barclay Hillman Scholarship
The Ponsie Barclay Hillman Precollege Scholarship was created to pay tribute to Ponsie B. Hillman, an educator, an advocate, and pioneer in the civil rights and labor movements. Her life was defined by a love for education and driven by the staunch determination to share it. She passed away on June 26, 2008.
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The Rochlis Family Foundation Scholarship
The Rochlis Family Foundation Scholarship is awarded annually to support a high school student studying classical music.
Precollege vocal performance in Greenfield Hall
Establishing A Named Endowed Precollege Scholarship
An endowed Precollege scholarship requires a minimum gift of $50,000. The principal is permanently invested and its earned income is awarded to a student as scholarship money. Earned income rates vary annually. Naming an endowed Precollege scholarship after a loved one is a meaningful tribute to a person who has enriched our lives. A named endowed scholarship (such as the existing ones below) also introduces Manhattan School of Music as well as the Precollege scholarship recipient to the legacy and life of the honoree.
Giving To An Existing Endowed Precollege Scholarship Fund
Precollege named endowed scholarships, established in honor of and with gratitude to the following distinguished faculty members and cherished friends, are given out every year in perpetuity. Additional funding for each of these named endowed scholarships increases the amount awarded to Precollege scholarship students each year.
Our existing endowed precollege scholarships:
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Andrew Goodman Memorial Precollege Endowed Scholarship
The Andrew Goodman Memorial Precollege Scholarship Fund was created to honor Andrew Goodman, a former Precollege clarinetist who was killed while supporting civil rights at the age of twenty while working on the “Freedom Summer” project of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to register individuals from the African-American community to vote in Mississippi. This scholarship celebrates his memory and work, his commitment to equality and opportunity for all, and his personal connection to Manhattan School of Music as a clarinet student in the Precollege program at MSM.
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Anonymous Jazz Precollege Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded annually to student(s) studying jazz in the Manhattan School of Music Precollege program. Students are selected based on their artistic excellence and demonstrated financial need.
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Alex Assoian Music Project Endowed Precollege Scholarship
Established in 2015 to honor the memory of gifted musician, Alex Assoian. By the young age of 23, Alex was already inspiring musicians of all ages across music genres to find the passion in their music, and helped many gifted young musicians achieve their musical aspirations. Please visit AAMPfund.org to learn more. This scholarship is awarded annually to a Precollege cellist and to a Precollege student studying harp or piano.
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Carl Owen Memorial Endowed Scholarship (all disciplines)
Established in memory of Carl Owen by his family and friends.
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Constance Keene Endowed Precollege Piano Scholarship
Established in 2011 in memory of Constance Keene, a beloved member of the piano faculty who taught at Manhattan School of Music from 1969 to 2005. This scholarship is awarded to a pianist annually.
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Cuker/Stern Endowed Precollege Scholarship
Established in 2014, the Cuker/Stern Endowed Precollege Scholarship honors the legacy of Harold B. and Ruth (Cuker) Stern. This award is given annually to a string, piano, or woodwind player of high artistic merit and demonstrated financial need.
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Dianne Danese Flagello Endowed Precollege Scholarship (all disciplines)
Created in honor of Dianne Flagello, beloved Director of the Precollege Division for 25 years, on the occasion of her retirement from Manhattan School of Music. The Flagello Scholarship is awarded annually to students on any instrument.
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Dorothy Hales Gary Scholarship
The Dorothy Hales Gary Scholarship was created to help ensure young musicians are able to reach their full potential. Mrs. Gary’s legacy of ensuring the continuing musical education of musically talented and financially deserving young people lives through this scholarship.
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Dr. Michelle Solarz August Precollege Endowed Scholarship
Created to honor the memory of the late Dr. Michelle Solarz August, a gifted pianist, this scholarship is awarded annually to a piano student of high artistic talent and demonstrated financial need.
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Elva Van Gelder Memorial Piano Scholarship
Established in 1979 to honor the legacy of Elva van Gelder. Elva was a brilliant pianist and student of the illustrious teacher Solomon Mikowsky. It is awarded annually to a pianist in the Precollege program of Manhattan School of Music.
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Florence Duvall Precollege Scholarship
The Donor, an alumnus of the Neighborhood Music School, now known as MSM, wishes to ensure that MSM’s most talented Precollege string students are free to pursue the finest pre-conservatory training without undue financial pressures. The Scholarship is awarded to talented string students of demonstrated financial need in the Precollege.
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Frank and Joseph Lotrario Endowed Precollege Scholarship
Established in 2022, the Frank and Joseph Lotrario Endowed Precollege Scholarship was created to provide tuition support to highly talented instrumental students in MSM’s Precollege. The Scholarship will be awarded to one or more highly talented students enrolled in MSM’s Precollege who demonstrate significant financial need.
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Jan Morreel Endowed Precollege Classical Music Scholarship
Established in 2022 in honor of Mr. Jan Moreel.
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Jocelyn Gertel Precollege Scholarship
The Jocelyn Gertel Precollege Scholarship is to provide tuition for one or more deserving Precollege classical string students.
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Jonathan and Conrad Strasser Memorial Award
This award honors Jonathan and Conrad Strasser, who taught in the precollege division at Manhattan School of Music. Jonathan was the conductor of the Precollege Philharmonic Orchestra for over 20 years and Conrad taught piano and voice for more than 10 years.
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Jordan Berk Endowed Scholarship
The Jordan Berk Endowed Scholarship was created to honor the legacy of Manhattan School of Music Precollege and College alumnus Jordan Berk. Jordan was an aspiring saxophonist studying with professor Paul Cohen when he was tragically taken away from us at the age of 22. This scholarship is awarded annually to a Precollege saxophonist or woodwind player.
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Kate Bamberger Memorial Award
The Kate Bamberger Memorial Award was established in 1983 to honor the legacy of Kate Bamberger, a wonderful violinist, person, and mother. This scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding violinist in the precollege program at Manhattan School of Music.
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Karen Beardsley and Maitland Peters Endowed Precollege Voice Scholarship
Established in honor of these distinguished and cherished Precollege faculty members.
Warming up for a Precollege orchestral performance, February 2017
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Marion Feldman Endowed Precollege Cello Scholarship
Created in 1998 to celebrate faculty member Marion Feldman, master cellist and pedagogue. The Feldman Scholarship is given to one or more Precollege cellists every year.
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Mary B. Lenom Scholarship
Awarded annually to students of the Manhattan School of Music Precollege program demonstrating outstanding artistic excellence and financial need.
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Matilda Cascio Endowed Precollege Scholarship
The Matilda Cascio Endowed Precollege Scholarship was established in 2015 to honor Matilda (Mattie) Cascio. She was involved in music throughout her life and loved teaching piano to children. She taught at the Manhattan School of Music for many years and was also an alumnus. Mattie had fond memories of the Manhattan School of Music and always spoke of her days there with a smile.
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Michelle Deal and Claude L. Winfield Precollege Jazz Scholarship
Established in 2021, this scholarship was created to provide tuition support to talented jazz students of demonstrated financial need.
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Nana's Way Scholarship
The Nana’s Way scholarship was created in to support music training opportunities at Manhattan School of Music to young people of need and talent who may be representatives from underserved populations.
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Patinka Kopec Endowed Precollege Violin Scholarship
Established in 2012 in honor of the pedagogical excellence of violinist Patinka Kopec. The Kopec Scholarship is given to one or more Precollege violinists every year.
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Paul Stebbins Endowed Precollege Scholarship in Bassoon
Created in memory of the late bassoonist and educator Paul Stebbins. This scholarship pays tribute to Paul’s very full and special life, which will benefit generations of talented Precollege students at Manhattan School of Music.
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Precollege Parents Scholarship
The Precollege Parents Association is committed to helping students with a passion for music, regardless of financial means, have the ability to study music at the highest level. Established in 1988, this scholarship is awarded annually to a student of outstanding artistic excellence and demonstrated financial need.
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Rita and Morris Relson Scholarship
Created in 1992 by Rita and Morris Relson, this scholarship is awarded annually to a young artist of outstanding talent and demonstrated financial need. Rita and Morris Relson loved music greatly and instilled a passion for music in all of their kids. This scholarship perpetuates their legacy in perpetuity.
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Rosetta Goodkind Endowed Precollege Piano Scholarship
Created to commemorate esteemed piano pedagogue Rosetta Goodkind, a teacher in the Precollege Division for 37 years, who passed away in July 2011. The Goodkind Scholarship is awarded to one or two Precollege pianists every year.
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Sassa Maniotis Endowed Precollege Piano Scholarship
Sassa Maniotis was the embodiment of musical inspiration & direction. She incited a love and passion for music as the center of people’s lives. It is with great honor and respect for Ms. Maniotis that this scholarship was created by her student and Precollege faculty member Delana Thomsen.
Questions?
Susan Madden
Vice President for Philanthropy
917-493-4115
smadden@condominiococoa.com
Julie Wallin
Director for Annual Giving
917-493-4595
jwallin@condominiococoa.com
“Manhattan School of Music strives to offer the finest musical education to as many talented young students as possible regardless of their financial or socioeconomic circumstances.”
Susan Madden
Vice President for Philanthropy