Brewster Scholarship Competition Winners Announced

The Marjorie Jane Brewster Memorial Music Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships awarded by the Penn State School of Music. Created in memory of Marjorie Jane Brewster (?61 B.A. Arts) by her father, the late R. Wallace Brewster (?28 B.A. Arts and Letters and ?30 M.A. Political Science), the scholarship is awarded based on competition to selected undergraduates in their final year of study who wish to pursue advanced degrees. The scholarship supports one year of graduate study at any accredited institution of higher learning or conservatory of the student?s choice.

Co-winner of the 2017 Marjorie Jane Brewster Memorial Music Scholarship is mezzo-soprano Grace Kiver, a native of State College, PA and the daughter of Christopher and Nicola Kiver. A voice major in the music education degree program, she is a voice student of Jennifer Trost. Her competition repertoire included ?Smanie implacabili? (from CosÏ fan tutte) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, ?Oh had I Jubal?s Lyre? (from Joshua) by George Frideric Handel, and art songs by Samuel Barber, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Claude Debussy.

Grace was the recipient of the 2017 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award as well as the 2017 Reuben and Gladys Golumbic Scholarship Award. She is a member of the Concert Choir and has participated in five productions with Penn State Opera Theatre, most recently appearing as Dorabella in Mozart?s CosÏ fan tutte. In spring 2018, she will complete her student teaching experience in secondary choral music at the Nazareth Area School District. Following graduation, Grace plans to pursue a master?s degree in vocal performance.

The other co-winner of the Brewster Memorial Music Scholarship is senior oboe performance major Noah Breneman. He performed Amilcare Ponchielli's "Capriccio" for oboe and piano for the competition.

A student of Timothy Hurtz , Noah is a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra. He also performs with the Williamsport Symphony, the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, and the Nittany Valley Symphony. The son of Thomas and Angela Breneman from Reading, PA, he is the recipient of the Ouwehand Family Trustee Scholarship and the School of Music's Lynne D. Ferguson Memorial Award, A member of Pi Kappa Lambda, he has been a Dean's List student for six semesters. Noah achieved Jury Honors in fall 2015, fall 2016, and spring 2017; and Jury Recognition in spring 2016. He appeared as a soloist in the 2016 Mosaic concert and will be a featured performer in the 2017 Mosaic performance. Noah plans to pursue a graduate degree in oboe performance in fall 2018.

Emily Rickard, a senior clarinet student of Anthony J. Costa, was named as alternate.