Scholarship Winners

Coastal Concerts, for the ninth year, announces the award of scholarships to two promising area musicians. The winners are Kourtney Bastianelli, clarinet, Georgetown, and Audric Baal, piano, Middletown. Each scholarship is valued at $1,000 and is to be used in furthering the recipient’s musical education. Each year Coastal Concerts awards two scholarships to talented young musicians in the local area.

Coastal Concerts sponsors this annual scholarship program in order to reward and recognize young people through a competitive process. Applicants must send recommendations, resumes, personal essays and audition tapes or CD’s to the Outreach Committee.

Coastal Concerts is a non-profit bringing classical music concerts to the Cape region. The outreach efforts also sponsors a used instrument drive, free in-school concerts and musical story-telling programs at area libraries. Coastal Concerts offers free admission to all concerts for youth 10-18 with an accompanying adult. For more information call 888-212-6458 or www.coastalconcerts.org.

Kourtney Bastianelli, Clarinet

Audric Baal, Piano

Kourtney Bastianelli, a senior at Sussex Central High School in Georgetown, has played clarinet for seven years. She is a planning to use her scholarship to assist in obtaining a degree in instrumental music education with the goal of teaching music on the high school level. Kourtney plans to focus on the clarinet, with a minor in piano performance/collaborative piano. In addition to participation in the concert, jazz, and marching bands (clarinet and saxophone) and the All-State Choir, Kourtney has also been a pit band player and piano accompanist for school and community music and drama groups. She has been in the Sussex County All Honors Band, First Chair Clarinet in both Junior and Senior Band, and All-State Band. Her leadership is exemplified in her willingness to instruct her peers in both the instrumental and vocal areas. She has also attended the Governor’s School of Excellence for Music Performance. Kourtney is a member of the National Honor Society and is Valedictorian of the 2012 graduating class.

Audric Baal is a senior at St. George Technical High School in Middletown; he has studied piano for 9 years. Audric has participated in both concert and jazz bands (trumpet and percussion), school and district choruses, and has attended Penn State Summer music camp and other master classes. His awards for piano performance include multiple Southern Delaware Teachers Association state-wide first and second place rankings, as well as National Guild auditions with “superior plus” ratings, and performance at the statewide Honors Recital at the University of Delaware. Active in church and community, Audric has taught basic music theory to children and currently provides piano music for the comfort and entertainment of patients and visitors at Christiana Care Hospital. Audric plans to use his scholarship as he continues his education in Columbia University’s Julliard Exchange Program with a double major in biology and piano performance.

Past Coastal Concerts Scholarship Winners:

2010-2011 Concert Season:

Emma Scott, Wilmington, Delaware, $1000

Benjamin Simmons, Dagsboro, Delawre, $1000

2009-2010 Concert Season:

Maria Scott, Bridgeville, Delaware, $1000

Sierra Spicer, Laurel High School, Delawre, $1000

2008-2009 Concert Season:

Maria Scott, Bridgeville, Delaware, $1000

Benjamin Simmons, Sussex Central High School, $1000

2007-2008 Concert Season:

Cody Leavel, Cape Henlopen High School, $500

Emmery Williams, Milford High School, $500

2006-2007 Concert Season:

Kelly Jones, Milford High School, $500