Keynotes of South Hills presents cash awards to students
Keynotes of South Hills held its 48th annual music competition May 18 at Mt. Lebanon High School. There were 19contestants this year, and the judges chose six winners.
First place and a cash award of $5,000 went to Sophie Lauver, a percussionist who will be a freshman at Northwestern University in the fall. Second place, $3,000, went to Kyle Johnson, a cellist who will be a senior at Carnegie Mellon University.
There were two third Place winners:
Kristin Howard, a soprano, won an award of $2,000 and will be a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon. Robert Raso, a Baritone, who will be a graduate student at Eastman this fall.
Honorary mention award of $1,000 went to Jacqueline Tardanico, a soprano, who will be a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon.
A special award of $1,100 in memory of Phillip Banco a teacher at Mt. Lebanon High School and a jazz musician who formed jazz groups in the Pittsburgh area, went to an instrumentalist. Alexis Shulte-Albert plays the double bass and will be a freshman at Indiana University in the fall.
Since 1971, Keynotes of South Hills has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships to exceptional students who are enrolled in a college or university as a music major.
For more information, contact scholarship chairman Toni Kvederis at 412-220-3080 or visit keynotessouthhills.com.
The 2020 competition is scheduled for May 16.