NSAL Awards Art And Voice Scholarships To Dreyfoos Students

The National Society of Arts and Letters Florida East Coast Chapter (www.nsalfloridaeast.org) has announced that two Dreyfoos School of the Arts students secured Winston Scholarships through the NSAL program. The local chapter of NSAL selected Kathryn Dennison and Laura Santamaria Mendez to compete nationally for the Winston scholarships in 2-D Visual Arts and Voice respectively. Both students will be honored at the NSAL Star Maker Awards on April 28, 2019 at Boca West Country Club with the nonprofit organization's other scholarship and competition winners.

"We are delighted that these two talented young women represented our area in such an outstanding manner," said Judi Asselta, President of NSAL Florida East Coast Chapter. "We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to watching their careers progress."

Laura Santamaria Mendez submitted her application and Youtube video performances of Il bacio by Arditi, Love's Philosophy by Quilter, and O mio babbino caro by Puccini to the local NSAL judges, who were impressed by her talent and vocal maturity. Her performance was then evaluated at the National level and she was awarded $1200 Shirley Rabb Winston Vocal Scholarship.

"I started out in a community choir in my area named The Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. I continued my study at Bak Middle School of the Arts and now at Dreyfoos School of the Arts," said Laura. "After being given the opportunity to perform in the Children's Chorus in the Palm Beach Opera's production of Carmen, I was inspired to specifically reach towards a career in classical voice performance! I then joined the Palm Beach Opera Studio for two years, training on technique and performance experience, to hopefully be able to attend a prestigious conservatory/ music school. My goal is to become a professional opera singer and be able to perform at the Metropolitan Opera!"

Kathryn Dennison has been drawing all her life. Her creativity really blossomed during her years at Bak Middle School for the Arts, when she began studying traditional (Russian) academic drawing and painting under Pavel and Suzanne Ouporov. Now, at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, she has spent the last 3 years attempting to hone her skills while studying the methods and history of the European "Old Masters;" constantly practicing anatomy and figurative art with as much technical precision as she can muster. She has won the Regional Gold Keys in Scholastics for the last 3 years, and looks forward to showcasing her art work at Star Maker Awards again this year.

"My passion for paying homage to Western classics has sprouted into a love for art history as well," she explained. "And it would be an honor to be accepted into notable universities such as NYU and Columbia where I can pursue that major, and to become a professional curator for the Metropolitan Museum while continuing my own personal artistic legacy under academic training in European conservatories."

About The Winston Scholarships:

In honor of Naomi Rabb Winston, NSAL established an annual scholarship fund for young visual artists between the ages of 16 and 22. Applicants must demonstrate exceptional talent and promise of future success. The scholarship funds are only for private study, for special training or for personal advancement in the applicant's art career. They can be used for workshops, museum programs, summer programs, etc. The funds cannot be used for college tuition, housing or travel. In most years, as many as eight to ten scholarships are awarded in varying amounts.

In honor of Shirley Rabb Winston, NSAL established an annual scholarship for young classical singers between the ages of 16 and 22. Applicants must demonstrate exceptional talent and promise of future success. The scholarship funds are only for private study, special training or personal advancement in the applicant's vocal career. They can be used for workshops, voice teachers, summer programs, etc. The funds cannot be used for college tuition, housing or travel. In most years, as many as eight to ten scholarships are awarded in varying amounts.

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