Senior music performance major Michael Hollin (above, center) and senior music education major Sara Johnson (above, left) have won the inaugural 100 Mile Joe Scholarship. The two were presented with their scholarship awards at the Horn Concert on Sept. 10.
In March 2014, Adjunct Associate Professor of Music/French Horn Joe Lovinsky (above, right), also known as 100 Mile Joe, completed a 100-mile run, which raised $8,500 for French horn scholarships at Shenandoah University.
“It was extremely difficult to decide between these two very deserving candidates, so we decided to make two awards this year,” said Lovinsky.
More on the award winners, according to Lovinsky:
“Michael Hollin is an outstanding musician and a model student. When he came to Shenandoah as a transfer student in the fall of 2013, Michael was already a good horn player and a hard worker. As the son of a horn player and High School of the Arts band director, Michael came to Shenandoah with the knowledge of how much work it takes to become a professional performer. Now, due to his exceptional work ethic, Michael’s playing has already improved dramatically. Even when almost overwhelmed with academic studies, Michael consistently puts in 15 to 20 or more hours per week of individual practice time, while making time to rehearse and perform in almost every ensemble at Shenandoah, including the Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Wind Quintet and the Shenandoah Horns Ensemble. As a result of his consistent hard work, and a competitive audition, Michael is serving as our Orchestra’s Principal Horn Player this semester.”
“Sara Johnson is by far the most improved performer in the Shenandoah Horn Department. After taking a year off to work and raise money to continue pursuing her music education degree, Sara returned to Shenandoah in the fall of 2013 with an obvious sense of purpose and determination. By sheer determination, and a work ethic that is second to none, Sara has turned some of her previous playing challenges into her strong points. In addition to being an outstanding student of the horn, Sara is an active member of the National Honorary Band Fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi. She is vocal in her advocacy of music education and the teaching profession in general. Sara hopes to become a full-time elementary or middle school teacher. She currently serves as horn teacher in the Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy, where she has already gained much valuable experience teaching grade school students.”
The 100 Mile Joe Scholarship is awarded by the Shenandoah University Office of Financial Aid at the recommendation of the Horn professor and with consultation of the ensemble directors.
