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ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to Bridgeport students who plan to continue their music lessons in high school or college. The scholarship has been established in memory of Dorothy Straub and Robert Genualdi.
Applications for 2024 Scholarship must be received by June 1st, 2024
This scholarship will be awarded at the end of June 2024. Students will be required to submit a youtube recording. All finalists will be asked to have a zoom interview with a member of the Scholarship Committee.
Online Application Download Here
Dorothy Straub and Robert Genualdi were among the state’s most dynamic musical couples and co-directors of the Barnum Festival’s Jenny Lind Competition/Concert for young American sopranos. Their many contributions included arranging, composing, and editing work for youth orchestra programs around the country. This Scholarship honors Dorothy and Robert’s achievements and contributions to music education.
Robert S. Genualdi was a conductor of the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras and a founding member of the Fairfield Country String Teachers Association. He was a string bass player in the Miami, New Haven, Greater Bridgeport, and Greenwich symphonies. Mr. Genualdi served as Acting Principal of Staples High School in Westport and Principal of Andrew Warde High School, then Roger Ludlowe and Andrew Warde High Schools simultaneously, and then as Headmaster of the “new” consolidated Fairfield High School in Fairfield.
Violist Dorothy Straub devoted her career to enriching the lives of many as an educator and performer. Dorothy was a tireless proponent of musical education. She served as a music educator in the Westport and Fairfield school systems for over 20 years, was conductor and administrator for the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras, and was president of MENC known today as the National Association for Music Education. She also arranged, composed, and edited instructional pieces for young musicians.
2024 Scholarship winners
Joshua Gibson
Joshua started playing the violin at age 10. He taught himself to play a D major scale and quickly started studying with Barbara DiFranco (formerly of Fairfield, CT). He auditioned for GCTYO and has been a member since 2019. Joshua has since studied with Bruce Sloat (Bridgeport, CT) and Deborah Wong (Yonkers, NY). Joshua has performed in several master classes including 2 with Midori (2020 and 2023), The Villa Lobos Brothers, Chelsea Starbuck Smith, and others.
Joshua was able to benefit from the ARPA grant throught the Greater Bridgeport Orchestra. He received extra lessons from concert mistress Deborah Wong and played with the GBO under the direction of Chelsea Tipton and Eric Jacobsen. Joshua was a member of the 2023 Western Region orchestra and the 2024 CT All State orchestra. He was runner up in the CIMF concerto competition in 2023 and 2024. Last summer (2023) Joshua participated in the Mostly Mozart in Harmony at Lincoln Center and performed with the orchestra. This summer (2024), Joshua is attending the Kinhaven Music Camp and is the concertmaster for the orchestra performing several of the Planets by Gustuv Holst. Joshua will also be the concertmaster for the CIMF (Charles Ives Music Festival) during the summer of 2024.
Joshua is a student at Stamford High School. He is a member of the International Baccalaureate Program and the orchestra. Joshua enjoys spending time with his family including his dog, listening to classical music and attending concerts, and playing volleyball with friends.
Joshua is very grateful for this scholarship and will use it towards lessons this school year. He looks forward to volunteering and performing in events for Music For Youth.
SophiaLee Lugo
SofiaLee Lugo is a rising Junior at Wilton High School. She began her cello career with SBW Cello Studio in Norwalk, CT, and is currently a student in Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program studying under Dr.John Popham. She is the Orchestra Vice President of her high school’s Tri-M Music Honor Society. SofiaLee was the inaugural Concerto Competition winner for The Charles Ives Music Festival in 2023. She received an honorable award for extraordinary and inspiring performances from the American Music Talent Competition. Also, she performed at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall after earning the honorable winner of the American Protegé Romantic Competition in 2021. In 2024, SofiaLee received 1st place in June’s 4th edition of the World Best Musician Competition. SofiaLee enjoys art, fashion, and volunteering to provide music for local non-profit organizations in her free time.
Liana Nash
I have been musically inclined since I was very small, my family and teachers have always encouraged me to play music at a young age. I will soon be a senior at Kolbe Cathedral High School and started playing the cello in the eighth grade and currently serve as K.E.Y.S.’s first chair cellist for the Saturday program. I also perform with the Jazz Band and the KE.Y.S choir. I have always had a deep love for music, and I intend to continue my studies with music in college. I joined the Kolbe Cathedral Choir when I first entered high school, and I’ve also taken part in a lot of other choruses. To further explore my love of music and share with other young people the joys of music, I intend to major in music education in college.
Past Scholarship winners
Kelvyn Velazquez (2023)
Kelvyn has been playing trumpet since 5th grade (6 years) as well as piano for as long as he can remember. He recently took up singing, and have competed in a few school talent shows and at the Pequot Library Friday Night Café.
From 5th to 8th grade he played trumpet with his middle school concert band, which included marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade as well as performing at Sacred Heart. He’s been playing trumpet with the KEYS orchestra, jazz band, and concert band for multiple years. He has also played and performed with Back Country Jazz program. He has been participating in the Greater Bridgeport Young Artist Coaching program, receiving private lessons from principal Trumpeter, Ken Tedeshi and trumpeter Mark Dennis.
He has volunteered at the KEYS Saturday program at the Bessemer Center and was part to the Musical Mondays program when he was a junior high student at the Multicultural Magnet school.
He is currently still researching college options but I would love to be able to play and study at a place like Julliard, Berklee, New England Conservatory of Music, or even the Curtis Institute of Music. He understands that it would be very difficult to get in to any one of these schools, which is why he studies hard and play as much as I can.
Tiffany Serano (2022)
Tiffany Serano has been engaged with MFY since 2016 when she participated in the WESTON/BRIDGEPORT Residency program.
She started playing violin in 5th grade at High Horizons. She continued her studies in High School at the Neighborhood Music School in Bridgeport and the KEYS Saturday Orchestra Program. She worked with violinist Corrine Metter after she left Neighborhood Music School.
She has participated in many Bridgeport Music programs that include: KEYS, Music for Youth, GCTYO, BackCountry Jazz, French Woods Festival. She received the Spirit of KEYS music award in 2019.
She worked at the United Congregational Church Bell Choir, Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders as an Assistant Softball Coach. She has been a coach and mentor and section leader for the KEYS Saturday Program and Summer Music program. This year she will continue her music studies at University of Bridgeport in Music Education. She will be an intern at the MFY Musical Mondays program at the High Horizons School in Bridgeport
Juan Renton (2022)
Juan has studied music since the age of 7. He was invited to enroll in a music program at the Universidad del Valle for Music. When he was 15 years old her arrived in the US and was looking for music opportunities in Bridgeport. He started taking lessons and getting involved with KEYS. This connection provided an opportunity to play with the CT Youth Orchestra. He is now studying privately, playing with CTYO and the KEYS orchestra. He is taking classes at Housatonic Junior College -and plans to transfer to the music program at University of Bridgeport.
Vailient Dominguez (2021)
Vailient started playing cello in 4th grade. His father was his first teacher. His musical family includes 4 siblings who all play stringed instruments.
When he was in middle school Vaillant joined the band and played the trumpet. He also sang in the choir. In High School he switched to Orchestra and took lessons from Mrs Mascaro and Elizabeth Ashkins. He has played in many High School productions.
His father started the VISION ACADEMY (String Ensemble Program) in Bridgeport in 2015. Vaillant has been the spokesman, coach and mentor to many of the string players in Vision Academy program. Music for Youth has had the opportunity to collaborate with the Vision Academy students in many venues including Beardsley Zoo, the Pequot Library, the Young Persons Concert Series at the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church and most recently at the Aspetuck Land trust Leonard Schein Preserve.
Vaillant mentioned he can’t imagine his life without music. His musical studies have helped him define who he is and is amazed at the number of opportunities available to play and pursue his passion. The scholarship will help him continue to take lessons at the University of Connecticut, purchase scores and general supplies and enable him to pursue his ambitions and dreams.
Samuel Bustamante (2020)
Music for Youth was honored to award this year’s Dorothy Straub and Bob Genualdi $1,000 Scholarship to Samuel Bustamante. Samuel Bustamante is 17 years old and is currently finishing his senior year of homeschooling. He hopes to pursue the field of computer science in the future as well continuing his study of music. Samuel has been playing violin since the age of 7 and has participated and volunteered his time in various music organizations and ensembles including Music For Youth, Kids Empowered by Your Support, BackCountry Jazz, Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians, Greater Bridgeport Symphony, and the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras. In the community, he has served as part of the music ensembles of Trinity Baptist Church and Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Most recently, his chamber music group, the Westport-based Asombro Quintet, placed as a finalist in the International Grande Musical Competition in New York City with a planned performance of Schubert’s String Quintet, D. 956 at Merkin Hall in August. Part of a musical family, Samuel enjoys playing chamber and solo repertoire alongside his siblings and also volunteers as a violin and viola teacher alongside his brother, Josué Bustamante in the Bridgeport Public Schools. Samuel also works at Source Coffeehouse, a local coffee shop in Black Rock where he shares his love of art, music, and food with the community. He currently studies violin with Patrick Doane.
Josué “Joshua” Bustamante, violin (2019)
Joshua has been a true music ambassador and inspiration to the many students and teachers he supports. Josuéa is a resident of Bridgeport and has had the pleasure of exploring various opportunities to study violin, viola, and piano under a wide range of music styles ranging from classical and jazz to gospel and rock. His willingness to expand his training has led to instruction and collaborations with the Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras, Music for Youth, Kids Empowered by Your Support, BackCountry Jazz, the Suzuki Music School of Westport, the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, the Chamber Music Institute for Young Musicians, and Music Haven. He is double majoring in Music Education and Violin Performance at the University of Bridgeport and currently studies violin with Patrick Doane and piano with Alexis Zingale.
Audrey Szymanski, violin (2018)
Audrey is a 17 year old who started playing violin at a SOAR Camp in 6th grade. She studied privately with Claudia Tondi in 8th grade and joined the KEYS orchestra at the Klein. In the summer she is a volunteer and coach for the Back Country Jazz program where she plays violin, viola, and flute. During the school years, she volunteers her time coaching and mentoring students in the music programs at a number of schools in Bridgeport. She will be attending Western Connecticut State University where she will pursue her studies in Music Education.
