The Impact of Music Scholarships

Read the stories of our past scholarship recipients and discover how these opportunities have made a difference in their musical journeys.

Anina Lawrence

2019 Senior Scholarship Recipient

Anina, of Mendon, MA, is currently a music student at Berklee College of Music. She received the 2019 Senior Scholarship from the Foundation for her musical contributions to her school and surrounding communities, as well as for her outstanding musical achievements.

“The EMEF scholarship played a big part in the purchase of a hardware instrument and software program that I use to write and record original music—something that I have wanted to do my entire life, but never knew where to start. I am so grateful for the opportunities that have come from both EMEF and Encore, I truly could not do what I do without them!”

— Anina Lawrence

Claire Bauer

Award of Excellence

Claire, age 16 at the time of the original story, is from Franklin, MA. She is a National Gold Medal winner with the Royal Conservatory of Music in voice, an accomplished pianist, and received her elementary piano pedagogy certification from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Having performed at Carnegie Hall in November 2019, Claire was awarded EMEF’s Award of Excellence. She continued her studies in voice, piano, and advanced harmony, while also working as the youngest faculty member at Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios in the theory department and as a piano instructor. She also received certification to teach Music for Young Children® and was scheduled to lead the MYC summer camp program in 2020.

“Receiving the EMEF award meant so much to me. Music is my passion and being recognized and appreciated for it is the greatest honor. It gives me confidence to continue to work hard for what I love. Thank you EMEF.”

— Claire Bauer

Sunehri Verma

Teacher Award and music scholarships

Sunehri, age 13 at the time of the original story, is from Franklin, MA. She won scholarships from the Encore Music Education Foundation for both piano and vocal studies. Having performed twice at Carnegie Hall, once in each discipline, Sunehri received monetary awards recognizing her musical achievements on three separate occasions.

“I had the most encouraging teacher, Lisa, who made sure I would not give up on piano and voice like many other students my age. Recently, I received an Encore Teacher Award for my dedication and ability. I used to have a very small and old keyboard that I used for years. With the help of this scholarship, my family bought me a new and better digital upright keyboard. This foundation has given a helping hand to many people, but for me, they gave me a chance to find my calling. Now that I have the right equipment, I can say without hesitation that I will now continue playing piano for as long as possible. EMEF makes it viable for me and many others to take on our musical aspirations and goals.”

— Sunehri Verma

Prem Pendkar

Scholarship recipient

Prem, a student at Franklin High School at the time of the original story, is a two-time National Gold Medalist with the Royal Conservatory of Music in voice. He received EMEF scholarships for his success in voice and the study of Music Theory. Having performed once at Carnegie Hall, Prem is an avid musician who continued to use his scholarship funds to pursue his studies in piano, voice, and saxophone.

“Music has always been my passion and I always want to do more. EMEF has made this possible for me. Through their scholarship, I was able to take drum lessons for a semester along with my piano and voice classes. I was also able to play in Encore’s Jazz band during the summers and learned to improvise and collaborate with other musicians in the band.”

— Prem Pendkar

Abigail (Abby) George

Dedication Award recipient

Abby, age 19 at the time of the original story, is from Franklin, MA, and is a sophomore at Wellesley College, pursuing a minor in voice. Having received EMEF’s Dedication Award in the past for her exemplary leadership skills and commitment to the study of music, Abby has also been the beneficiary of financial aid assistance from the Foundation throughout high school so that she could pursue her musical endeavors. These included, but were not limited to, the study of voice, piano, music theory, and participation in the recording ensemble known as The Encore EnHarmonix.

“Thanks to EMEF, I have been able to expand my passion for music beyond the scope of school ensembles. EMEF has assisted me not only in covering fees for private vocal lessons, but allowed me to take multiple theory courses at Encore on scholarship. The generosity of EMEF and everyone who has contributed to it has allowed me to have a greater understanding and appreciation for all music, and has helped me develop work ethic through my studies.”

— Abigail George