The Monmouth Civic Chorus announced that it recently awarded a total of $3,000 to New Jersey high school seniors as part of its 2017 scholarship program.
The awards will be presented at the Monmouth Civic Chorus concert at St. Mary Church in Colts Neck on June 2.
A $1,000 first-place award went to Ashleigh Dannielle Wolf, who is a student at Red Bank Regional High School and plans to attend the Eastman School of Music. in Rochester, N.Y.
She has been a member of New Jersey All State Treble and Mixed Choirs and the All State Opera Chorus, New Jersey All Shore Chorus, Red Bank Regional Concert Choir and Red Bank Regional Chamber Choir, and Bring It!, a traveling performance group.
She was awarded second place in the 2016 NJ NATS Doris Lentz Festival of Singing in the Upper Classical Division and was a winner of the New Jersey All Shore Chorus Scholarship in 2017. Wolf performed the role of Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice and Marsinah in Kismet.
A $700 scholarship for second place was awarded to Richard Cardile, who is a student at Middletown High School North and plans to attend Montclair State University.
Cardile performed with both the Concert Choir and Chamber Choir at Middletown High School North, as well as with the school’s singing group Acapella. He was a member of the New Jersey All Shore Chorus, New Jersey All State Mixed Chorus and the Middletown Assembly of God Church Choir.
Cardile has performed many roles including Matt in The Fantasticks, Jesus in Godspell, and the voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. He’s also attended multiple theater and vocal workshops.
The $500 third place was awarded to Lindsay Cherin, who is a student at Howell High School and plans to attend the Ithaca School of Music in Ithaca, N.Y.
Cherlin has played multiple roles including Aida in Aida at NJPAC, Millie in Picnic with the South Street Players, Mayzie La Bird in Seussical the Musical at the Strand Theater and Belladonna in Sleeping Beauty with the Main Street Theater Company.
She has sung with the Howell High School Chorus, the All National Honors Ensemble at Grand Ole Opry, the All Eastern Honors Ensemble, the New Jersey All State Mixed Chorus and the New Jersey All Shore Chorus.
Cherlin was also a finalist with the Rising Stars Classical Voice Competition and the Hal Leonard Vocal Competition, won third place at the SMC Young Artist Scholarship Classical Competition and was in second place at the Deborah Idol Vocal Competition.
Another winner was Olivia Youngman, who won $700. Youngman is a student at Point Pleasant Borough High School and plans to attend the Eastman School of Music. in Rochester, N.Y.
Honorable mention and a $100 award went to Alexandra Carminati, who attends West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North and plans to attend the University of Miami Frost School of Music.
The audition judges were Ryan Brandau, Artistic Director, the Monmouth Civic Chorus and Princeton Pro Musica; Marina Alexander, Music Director, the Arcadian Chorale; Alice Berman, past Executive Director, the Monmouth Conservatory of Music; and Evan Courtney, Director of Music, the United Methodist Church of Red Bank.
The accompanists were Patti D’Andrea, a Choir Director and Organist, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Neptune; and Karin Gargon, Professor of Music at Ocean County College.
“Thanks to the generosity of Monmouth Civic Chorus members, we were able to increase the funds for the scholarship from $2,500 to $3,000,” said Scholarship Committee Chair Jenni Blumenthal.
Additional committee members are Arleen Faustina, Peggy Noecker, Clare Resnick, Teri Lindstrom, and Warren Moe.
Since 1985, the Monmouth Civic Chorus has awarded more than $75,000 in scholarships to New Jersey high school seniors of outstanding vocal promise, according to a press relase.
To learn more or to donate to the scholarship fund, call 732-933-9333, email development@monmouthcivicchorus.org, or visit www.monmouthcivicchorus.org.
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