Music Scholarship Winners Announced!

Jillian Rossi is graduating from Nassau BOCES Long Island High School of the Arts (LIHSA) in Syosset, and from Bellmore JFK High School. She has been studying a regular curriculum at JFK each morning and spending the remainder of her day studying music at LIHSA. She sings soprano, plays guitar and writes her own songs.

Jillian has been singing in JFK’s Select Choir for the past two years, and participated in the school’s talent show. At LIHSA, she has participated in awards ceremonies, dinners, board meetings and fundraisers, while serving as vice-president of the local chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

At the Town of Oyster Bay’s annual Arts Council event, Jillian won first place in 2015, was chosen the silver winner in 2016, and the gold winner in 2017. Her main interest is popular music, writing and performing songs that she composes. Jillian will be enrolling in Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall.

Saxophonist Matthew Erman is graduating from East Meadow High School. In the past two years, he played with the New York State Band Directors Association High School Honors Jazz Band in Syracuse. This March he also served as alternate in NYSSMA’s All-State Jazz Band. Matthew sings in his high school chorus. He will be pursuing a career in music education at the State University of New York at Fredonia beginning this fall.

Jillian and Matthew will be honored at a worship service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock at 48 Shelter Rock Rd. in Manhasset, at 11 a.m. on Sunday June 11. Each will receive an award of $2,000.

The Edward Miller Memorial Music Scholarship was founded by the music committee of UUCSR in September 2004 to honor the memory of Edward Miller, former teacher at East Rockaway High School and music director of UUCSR. The scholarship is funded by members of the congregation as part of its community outreach program. Winners are chosen by the Nassau Music Educators Association.

More information on the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, scholarship guidelines, applications and driving directions are available at www.uucsr.org.