Gloria Musicae Announces Winner of the
2016 Barbara Diles Apprentice Scholarship
Eighteen-year-old Sophia Masterson, a former Gloria Musicae apprentice, has been chosen to receive a $1,000 scholarship to further her vocal training.
(Sarasota-Manatee) Gloria Musicae, Sarasota’s professional chorus, has announced that former Gloria Musicae Singers’ apprentice Sophia Masterson is the winner of its 2016 Barbara Diles Apprentice Scholarship. Masterson, who is 18 years old and a vocal performance major at Carnegie Mellon University, will receive $1,000 to be used towards tuition and/or private coaching to further her vocal training.
The scholarship fund was created in 2015 in memory of singer and Gloria Musicae board member Barbara Diles, an avid supporter of the musical arts and of young artists. The scholarship benefits current or previous Gloria Musicae apprentice singers between the ages of 16 and 22, who are chosen via audition each season to perform with the 32 professional singers that comprise Gloria Musicae.
During her time in the Sarasota-Manatee area, Masterson performed with the Gloria Musicae Singers, Sarasota Opera, Manatee Players, and the Sarasota Voice Academy.
“Sophia has long expressed how fortunate she was to have grown up in the Sarasota area with its abundant opportunities for young musicians,” says Susan Burke, executive director of Gloria Musicae. “We’re fortunate to have been able to work with this dedicated and talented young woman. It’s deeply rewarding to support her with this scholarship as she moves forward into a promising musical career.”
Founded in 1979, Gloria Musicae, Sarasota’s only professional chorus, presents the greatest hits of the last four centuries along with lesser-known gems and the work of living composers with imaginative programming and musical excellence. The chorus consists of 32 professional singers and eight apprentices. For more information about Gloria Musicae, visit www.GloriaMusicae.org.
About Gloria Musicae
Gloria Musicae celebrates choral music through innovative performances. The critically acclaimed group, the Gloria Musicae Singers, under the artistic direction of Dr. Joseph Holt, performs a repertoire spanning four centuries, and includes orchestral works, intimate madrigals, church motets, folk songs, close-harmony jazz, and Broadway show music. The ensemble also specializes in premiere performances of lesser-known choral works, particularly music by living American composers. The Gloria Musicae Singers has performed premieres by René Clausen, Dick Hyman, Robert Levin, Gwyneth Walker, and James Grant, along with the premiere of a new edition of a rarely heard score by Rossini. For more information about Gloria Musicae, visit www.gloriamusicae.org.
