Eleven local high-school students have received scholarships for their success in the 2023 James C. Macdonald Performing Arts Scholarship Competition, sponsored by the McLean Community Center.
The competition began with a preliminary audition in February and culminated with final competitions on stage at the Alden Theatre at the community center on April 19.
The annual competition encourages artistic achievement and promotes study in the arts by high-school students who reside or attend school in the McLean district (Small Tax District 1A, Dranesville). Scholarship prizes of $1,200 are awarded to students placing first in each of four categories – dance, instrumental music, theater and vocal music – with awards of $800 for second-place finishers and $400 for those in third place.
(The first-place award for instrumental music is named in honor of Anita Lamkin, a longtime friend of young musicians and supporter of music performances in McLean.)
First-place recipients for 2023 were Melina Turnage, McLean High School, dance; Goldie Woods, McLean High School, instrumental music; Abby Joe, Langley High School, theater; and Lily Chopus, Langley High School, vocal music.
Second-place honorees were Olivia Gilmore, Langley High School, dance; Sophia Lin, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, instrumental music; Scarlett Spano, Langley High School, theater; and Aditya Gupta, Langley High School, vocal music.
Third-place honorees were Sicilia Oliver, McLean High School, dance; Kian Choi, McLean High School, instrumental music; and Michaela Pearce, McLean High School, both theater and vocal music.
A panel of distinguished judges adjudicated each competition.
PHOTOS:
Photos by Oxley Photography
DANCE: 2023 James C. Macdonald Scholarship recipients in dance Melina Turnage, Olivia Gilmore and Sicilia Oliver are shown with McLean Community Center Governing Board chair Barbara Zamora-Appel.
INSTRUMENTAL: 2023 James C. Macdonald Scholarship recipients in instrumental music Goldie Woods, Sophia Lin and Kian Choi are shown with McLean Community Center Governing Board chair Barbara Zamora-Appel.
THEATER: 2023 James C. Macdonald Scholarship recipients in theater Scarlett Spano, Abby Joe and Michaela Pearce are shown with McLean Community Center Governing Board chair Barbara Zamora-Appel.
VOCAL: 2023 James C. Macdonald Scholarship recipients in vocal music Aditya Gupta, Michaela Pearce and Lily Chopus are shown with McLean Community Center Governing Board chair Barbara Zamora-Appel.
