Wilmington Student Wins Music Scholarship

As part of its mission to study and promote the art of choral music in the community, the Reading Community Singers support music education by providing an annual scholarship to a local student pursuing a career in music.  Last Saturday at the spring concert, RCS President of the Board Robert Ward presented this year’s scholarship to the chorus’ choice, Connor Burke of Wilmington.  He was featured as the vocal soloist in a selection of classical and popular melodies.

 He started his portion of the concert with the Baroque song by England’s Henry Purcell, “If Music Be the Food of Love.”  Following this, Connor showed off not just his musical talent but his linguistics ability by singing Franz Schubert’s “An Silvia,” a German translation of William Shakespeare’s poetry from “Two Gentlemen of Verona ,” and the Italian aria “Già il Sole dal Gange” from Alessandro Scarlatti’s 17^th century opera, “L’honestà negli amori.”  For his final classical offering, Connor sang Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “The Sky above the Roof.”  Wrapping up his set, Connor shifted gears and sang the swinging Frank Sinatra tune, “You Make Me Feel So Young.”

An all-around musical performer, Connor plays trumpet and French horn with school groups and guitar with his own band.  (Nobody mentioned it, but I assume that this group does not specialize in European madrigals of the 1600s.)

Connor has been singing in public since the fourth grade.  This fall he will attend Boston University where he is currently studying voice with doctoral student Michael Barrett.  He will major in composition and minor in vocal performance.  His ambition is to write film scores.

The Reading Community Singers congratulate him on being this year’s scholarship wwinner and wish him the best in his musical endeavors.