Search Results for " essay"...

2001 Essay Contest Winners

SUBJECT: WHY I PLAY MUSIC AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

Amanda Coon First prize $2500 4th to 8th grade Band Director Jodi Tritle Eighth Grade, flute Spirit Lake Middle School, Spirit Lake, Iowa

I play music because that's what I am. Music is my personality, my work, my education or in other words my life. Music lets me entertain myself and the world with my heart and soul. I play for myself and others so that maybe I can inspire someone else to do what I do. Express, inspire, play. That is what I do.

2002 Essay Contest Winners

SUBJECT: HOW MUSIC HAS INFLUENCED MY LIFE

Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship to help further their music education. Winners' schools receive $1,000 worth of music products from the competition's co-sponsors - Yamaha Corporation of America, Avedis Zildjian Co., Alfred Publishing and United Musical Instruments.

2003 Essay Contest Winners

SUBJECT: My Favorite Musical Instrument Is...

Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship to help further their music education. The winning students' schools will receive matching awards in the form of musical merchandise from Alfred Publishing Co., C.G. Conn, Yamaha Corporation of America and Avedis Zildjian Co.

GRADES 4 - 8

2004 Essay Contest Winners

SUBJECT: My Favorite Composer Is...

Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship to help further their music education. The winning students' schools will receive matching awards in the form of musical merchandise from Alfred Publishing Co., C.G. Conn, Yamaha Corporation of America and Avedis Zildjian Co.

Kurt Rever Grade 12, Age 17 Pinkerton Academy Derry, N.H. Instrument: Percussion Director: Leighanne Cullen Favorite Composer: John Williams

2005 Essay Contest Winners

SUBJECT: What the National Anthem Means to Me...

Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship to help further their music education. The winning students' schools will receive matching awards in the form of musical merchandise from Alfred Publishing Co., C.G. Conn, Yamaha Corporation of America and Avedis Zildjian Co.

Ryan Laschober Grade 12, Age 18 Blue Valley North High School Overland Park, Kan. Instrument: Tenor Saxophone Director: Dr. Marion Roberts My school band and I were fortunate enough to have been requested to play at the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion commemoration in France.

2006 Essay Scholarship Winners

SUBJECT: "How A Music Education Has Made Me A Better Student"

The following ten students are recipients of the 2006 essay scholarship, "How A Music Education Has Made Me A Better Student".

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA and co-sponsors, Alfred Publishing, American Music Conference, Hershey Fund Raising, National Association of Music Merchants, Yamaha Corporation of American and Avedis Zildjian Co.

2008 Essay Scholarship Winners

SUBJECT: "Dear Mr. President, I am writing to tell you why music is so important to my complete education..."

The following ten students are recipients of the 2008 essay scholarship, "Dear Mr. President, I am writing to tell you why music is so important to my complete education..."

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA and co-sponsors, Alfred Publishing, SupportMusic.com, Hershey Fund Raising, National Association of Music Merchants, Yamaha Corporation of American, Music For All and Avedis Zildjian Co.

Check this web-site September 1, 2008 for a new essay scholarship. To the many thousands of students who entered the essay contest, and to their music directors, we thank you.

2009 Essay Scholarship Winners

SUBJECT: "How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?"

The following ten students are recipients of the 2008 essay scholarship, ""How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?""

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SCHOOL BAND AND ORCHESTRA and co-sponsors, Alfred Publishing, SupportMusic.com, Hershey Fund Raising, National Association of Music Merchants, Yamaha Corporation of American, Music For All and Avedis Zildjian Co.

Check this web-site September 1, 2009 for a new essay scholarship. To the many thousands of students who entered the essay contest, and to their music directors, we thank you.

2010 Essay Contest Winners

The following ten students are recipients of the 2010 essay scholarship, "I believe music must remain a part of the school curriculum because..."

Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship award from SBO.

To the many thousands of students who entered the essay contest, and to their music directors, we thank you.

SBO Magazine Essay Contest

2009 Essay Contest Winners

More than 7,000 students from all part of the United States and several foreign countries participated in SBO's 9th annual Music Students Scholarship Essay contest, co-sponsored by NAMM, Alfred Publishing, Hershey Fund Raising, Yamaha Corporation of America and Avedis Zildjian. This year's theme "How Does Music Unite Cultures Within Your School and Community?" had multiple winners from the states of Texas and California, and, for the first time, a winning essay came from the country of Kosovo, from an American student studying there. To date, $180,000 in scholarships and music products has been awarded to 81 school music programs.

Allison Wrenn Thomas, the 18-year-old senior at Cesk Zadeja Music High School in Kosovo, entered this winning essay:

As an American attending a music high school in the war-torn country of Kosovo, I have had the privilege to witness firsthand the power of music to unite diverse cultures. Music has opened the door to many personal friendships with Kosovars that I will cherish for life. Music has also become a bridge between the local Muslim community and the American Peacekeeping Forces. I remember the first time American soldiers visited our dilapidated school. Curiosity and tension vibrated in the air until Liridon sat down to the piano. As a Kosovar folk song filled the room, the atmosphere dissolved into smiles and applause: we had found a common language. The soldiers came often after that. They invited us to perform on their base and also attended our school concerts. As the only American attending this local school, I was increasingly drawn upon as an interpreter, liaison, and musical consultant.

Excerpts from the Winning Essays

In our June issue, School Band and Orchestra announced the winners of the 2004 Scholarship Essay Contest. Each of the 10 winners - five in grades four through eight, and five in grades nine through 12 - received a $1,000 scholarship for writing an essay about their favorite composer. Each winning student's music program received a matching prize of $1,000 in musical merchandise from the contest's co-sponsors: Alfred Publishing Co., C.G. Conn, Yamaha Corporation of America, Avedis Zildjian Company, and Hershey's Fundraising.

Included here are excerpts from the 10 winning student essays. The essays in their entirety are posted on SBO's Web site, www.sbomagazine.com. The 2005 Scholarship Essay Contest topic and deadline will be announced this fall in both the magazine and on the Web site.

Kurt Rever
Grade 12, Age 17
Pinkerton Academy
Derry, N.H.
Instrument: Percussion
Director: Leighanne Cullen
Favorite Composer: John Williams