The 2017 Recipients
Cooper Aquilino
Cooper Aquilino is graduating from Mahopac High School and plans to major in music education and film at Hunter College in New York City. He sings, plays piano and ukulele, and writes songs, but teaching and making people laugh and be happy is his passion. Cooper says he believes music can have a huge impact on a child's life and has the ability to change a person's thought process and how they perceive life. An assistant superintendent in his district says Cooper knows the importance of volunteerism and regularly participates in charitable and service-oriented activities as an individual well beyond his years.
Grace Dashnaw
Grace Dashnaw is graduating from Somers High School and plans to major in music at Ithaca College in the fall. She is a cellist who also plays piano, sings, and composes. Her private cello teacher says she has the capabilities of a much older musician. Dashnaw says she sees herself playing all genres of music — in the pit for a Broadway musical, playing in a symphony orchestra, or even studio work or touring with a chamber group.
Emily Fareed
Emily Fareed is graduating from Hendrick Hudson High School and plans to major in music education with a concentration on voice at the University of Delaware. During her senior year Fareed served as senior choir leader, which involved conducting and teaching in the leader's absence. Her private voice teacher says Fareed possesses the highest level of musicianship and commitment. She appeared recently in a music video produced by Peekskill violinist Daisy Jopling.
Ellen Gruber
Ellen Gruber is graduating from Hendrick Hudson High School and plans to major in performance, recording arts, and acoustics at The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. In addition to piano and voice, Gruber's main instruments are the oboe and English horn. Gruber was the only woodwind finalist in the Mannes Prep Concerto Competition and was awarded a spot in a summer program at Interlochen. With a keen interest in acoustics, Gruber wants to dedicate much of her efforts toward creating spaces that optimize the sound of musical performances.
Trevor Legeret
Trevor Legeret is graduating from Newtown High School in Connecticut and will attend Pratt Institute, where he plans to major in film. Legeret says he hopes to score music for film. He was part of The Justin Veatch Fund's 2014 concert, opening for and performing with headliner Livingston Taylor. While Legeret plays several instruments, his teachers described him as an excellent guitarist and magnetic front-man with an endless creative stream.
Gabrielle Sansone
Gabrielle Sansone is graduating from Lakeland High School and plans to pursue musical theatre as a performer on Broadway and possibly in television and film. Sansone is a vocalist with a long list of on-stage credits, performing in a variety of productions in the greater Westchester community and off-Broadway in New York. She has been described by one of her teachers as a standout in every way, from musical ability to ease of learning repertoire.
Victoria Vespucci
Victoria Vespucci is graduating from Yorktown High School and plans to major in music education at Crane School of Music at SUNY's Potsdam College. Vespucci says her goal is to become a band teacher and also perform professionally as time permits. Her main instrument is the flute, but she is also proficient on the piccolo, saxophone, clarinet, and piano. Vespucci's band director calls her one of the best flutists she has ever worked with.