The Susan L. Tajra Music Scholarship Trust was established in 1993. It awards an annual scholarship to a young classical keyboard (piano, organ or harpsichord) student.
Recent winners have continued studies at Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Oberlin, Peabody Yale, and Eastman.
The Scholarship Trust is established as a private foundation and donations to it are tax-deductible.
The Trust is a philanthropic work of the Tajra family headed by His Excellency Bishop H.W.M. Tajra. The Trustees hope that it will contribute to promoting excellence in music and to serious study of the classical keyboard instruments.
Eligible Candidates
Eligible candidates for the Scholarship include both students currently enrolled in a school or conservatory of music, or the music school of a college or university, as well as high school students who have already been accepted into such a program. Applicants are required to submit an application (see page on application form) and to audition for the Trustees in order to be considered for the award.
The criteria for the Scholarship award are:
- financial need
- academic excellence
- musical talent
- enrollment or acceptance in a school or conservatory of music, or the music school of an accredited college or university.
Previous Winners:
1994: Paul Cienniwa, Yale University, Harpsichord
1995: Albert D. Tiu, Jr., Juilliard School, Piano
1996: Daniel P. Brinson, Oberlin College Conservatory, Organ
1997: Inna Faliks, Peabody Conservatory, Piano
1999: Nicole Lynette Greene, New England Conservatory, Piano
2002: Mana Tokuno, New England Conservatory, Piano
2003: Esther Yeo, U. of California, Irvine, Piano
2004: Varta Tchakarian, Juilliard School, Piano
2005: Stephanie Wu, Juilliard School, Piano
2006: Dror Semmel, Mannes College of Music, Piano
2007: Amanda Plazek, Duquesne U., Organ
2008: Bogdan Dulu, Mannes College of Music, Piano
2009: Liza Stepanova, Juilliard School, Piano
2010: Isaac Lee, Eastman School of Music, Organ
2011: Anna Dmytrenko, Royal Academy, London, Piano
