Congratulations to this year’s annual Talent Grant Winners!

The 2022-2023 Talent Grant Winners receiving a $500 grant:

Amanda Nguyen, violin, student of Garnik Goukasian
Trinity Piazza, piano, student of Linda Siverts

Honorable Mentions receiving a $100 grant:

Jade Frias, piano, student of Linda Siverts
Henry Ramey, violin, student of Mariana Dimitrova

Holy Names Music Center’s 2022-2023 Talent Grant Adjuducation was held on June 6th, 2022. A total of 14 students, recommended by their teachers were scheduled to perform for an outside judge in a blind ranking system. We would like to extend a special thank you to this year’s adjudicator, Dr. John Marshall, Director of Orchestra/Professor of Cello at Eastern Washington University & Spokane Youth Strings conductor. The greatest benefit to the competition is what student’s gain from the experience and take with them into the future, and each of the participants received valuable notes from Dr. John Marshall about their performance.

Only a small number of students are nominated by their instructors each year, it is an honor just to be recommended, and a tremendous opportunity to compete. Holy Names Music Center’s Annual Talent Grant Competition is unique in that the student’s talent and potential are both considered – making it possible for even a beginning student who shows great promise to win the grant. This year’s participants all demonstrated terrific musical competence, artistic sensibility and potential, and were a credit to their efforts and their teachers. We look forward to following their progress and accomplishments into the future!

A little more about this year’s winners:

Amanda Nguyen, violin, student of Garnik Goukasian, and former student of Mariana Dimitrova, winner of a $500 tuition grant. Amanda began her violin studies with Mariana Dimitrova in 2012, when she was just 4 years old. Then in late 2020, she began instruction under Garnik Gouksian. Amanda will be a sophomore in high school. She wishes to continue pursuing her musical passion throughout high school, college, and beyond; her goal being to share and spread her love of music with others, hoping to inspire others to pursue their own musical interests. She also performs with the Spokane Youth Symphony. Amanda says: “Through music, I have met so many amazing musicians that I am proud to call my friends and family. I want to share with others that music is not just dots on a page, it is a lifelong journey of finding and expressing yourself. Music is powerful.”

Trinity Piazza, piano, student of Linda Siverts, winner of a $500 tuition grant. Trinity is a 17 year old senior, graduating from Spokane Classical Christian School. She has been playing piano for 12 years, and greatly enjoys learning difficult pieces, sight reading, and playing for her Church. She plans to continue her study of music in collage, and hopes to eventually become a music teacher. She has already started pursuing this goal by opening her own piano studio, where she teaches kids to play piano, and to love music.

Jade Frias, piano, student of Linda Siverts, honorable mention, winner of a $100 tuition grant. Jade is 15 years old and recently finished 10th Grade at Deer Park Homelink. She is starting the Running Start program at Spokane Falls Community College in the Fall. She started playing piano at the age of 4 using her Keyboard Book for Toddlers and started taking lessons at the age of 7. She also started singing at 3 years old. She is currently taking piano and voice lessons at HNMC. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, baking, and playing chess. Jade’s dream is to be a Forensic Pathologist

Henry Ramey, violin student of Mariana Dimitrova, honorable mention, winner of a $100 tuition grant. Henry is 9 years old and is going into 4th grade. In addition to music, he enjoys running track, swimming, and playing golf. He loves learning about history in school.

Congratulations again to these wonderful, hardworking young students and their teachers! We are honored to be a part of your music education!

Thank you so much to our donors who make programs like this possible! Find out how you can help fund a scholarship to a deserving student.

Congratulations to this year’s annual Talent Grant Winners!

The 2021-2022 Talent Grant Winners receiving a $500 grant:

Hannah Kerbs, voice, student of April Young
Daniel Thackston, cello, student of Karen Conlin, SNJM
Justus Piazza, piano, student of Linda Siverts

Honorable Mentions receiving a $100 grant:

Noah Eddy, violin, student of Garnik Goukasian
Henry Ramey, violin, student of Mariana Dimitrova
Everett Wirth, piano, student of Mina Somekawa

Holy Names Music Center’s Talent Grant competition is unique in that the student’s talent and potential are both considered – making it possible for even a beginning student who shows great promise to win the grant.

Only a small number of students are nominated by their instructors to compete for the Talent Grant awards. It is an honor just to be recommended, and a tremendous opportunity for students to perform in a blind ranking system for an impartial and experienced adjudicator and compete for a monetary award toward their music lessons in the coming year. The greatest benefit to the competition is what student’s gain from the experience and take with them into the future. This year’s students all demonstrated great musical competence, artistic sensibility and promise, and we look forward to following their progress and accomplishments in the year’s to come.

We would like to extend our particular gratitude to this year’s adjudicator, Jan Pellant, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Coeur d’Alene Symphony!

A little more about this year’s winners!

Hannah Kerbs, voice student of April Young, winner of a $500 tuition grant. Hannah Kerbs, 17, is an honor student (Junior) at Paideia High School (in Valley, WA). She has been a student of HNMC since she was three years old, first in a “pre-twinkle” strings class with “Miss Margie,” on a 1/4 “violin.” She began several years of piano study with Sr. Kay Heberling at age 5, and at 6 she also began what would be many years of cello studies with Sr. Karen Conlin. She also enjoyed cello studies with Cheryl Carnie, and Dr. Roberta Bottelli, along with her 6 years in the Spokane Youth Symphony. In recent years, she has flourished in her voice studies with April Young. In her “spare time,” Hannah enjoys her big family, church life, and various outdoor activities in our beautiful area of 4 seasons! She hopes to major in music/voice when the time comes. 

Daniel Thackston, cello student of Karen Conlin, SNJM, winner of a $500 tuition grant. Daniel is 14 years old and going into the 9th grade. He has played cello for 9 years- 8 of those studying with Sister Karen. He enjoys playing the cello, making, and listening to music and is enjoying learning a Haydn Concerto currently. He hopes to continue playing the cello through high school and in college. His other interests include golf, tennis, math, and wake-surfing.

Justus Piazza, piano student of Linda Siverts, winner of a $500 tuition grant. Justus has been playing the piano for 8 years. He has won several gold medals at Musicfest NW. In addition to piano, he loves signing for his school choir and playing basketball. Justus hopes to continue playing piano and studying vocal performance in college.

Noah Eddy, violin student of Garnik Goukasian, honorable mention, winner of a $100 tuition grant. Noah is a rising sophomore at LC. While violin remains his first musical love, he also enjoys playing the piano and bass. He hopes to study engineering or architecture in the future.

Henry Ramey, violin student of Mariana Dimitrova, honorable mention, winner of a $100 tuition grant. Henry fell in love with the sound of the violin in Kindermusik class and decided he wanted to learn to play. He also enjoys playing the piano. He likes to ski, run cross-country, and play soccer. His favorite subject in school is reading.

Everett Wirth, piano student of Mina Somekawa, honorable mention, winner of a $100 tuition grant. “Everett loves to play the piano! He has grown a great deal as a musician in his two years of playing and hopes to continue playing throughout his childhood and adolescence. He is interested in dinosaurs and ocean life and hopes to one day be a paleontologist or marine biologist. Our hope for him as his parents is that music will always hold a special place in his heart no matter what he decides to do with it. We are so proud of him!”

Congratulations again to these wonderful, hardworking students and their teachers! 

Thank you so much to our donors who make programs like this possible! Find out how you can help fund a scholarship to a deserving student.