My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Double Bass Student Gisel Dominguez Wins 2025 Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award

Dominguez will be formally dubbed a Presser Scholar and receive the $3,000 scholarship in May.

By:
Double Bass Student Gisel Dominguez Wins 2025 Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award

On Monday, CIM announced that fourth-year double bass student Gisel Dominguez was nominated by her peers for a 2025 Undergraduate Scholar Award from the Presser Foundation.  

Dominguez will be formally dubbed a Presser Scholar and receive the $3,000 scholarship in May, when she graduates with a stellar grade point average. CIM students have been named Presser Scholars each year for more than a decade.   

“I am deeply grateful to receive the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award, and thankful to my peers who nominated me for this recognition,” Dominguez said. “This award is not just an honor but a valuable resource that will allow me to further my musical career."

The Undergraduate Scholar Award is a prize granted yearly by the Presser Foundation, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit supporting music and music education in the name of founder Theodore Presser. Students vote for a colleague who best exhibits “a high level of musical and academic excellence” and the values of equity and inclusion.

Dominguez, a fourth-year student of Cleveland Orchestra member Scott Dixon, met or exceeded these benchmarks handily. In their nomination, her peers described a talented performer regularly selected for principal positions and an active member of the Women’s Empowerment Association and Social Justice at CIM student groups.  

The nominating document further praised Dominguez for twice being an orchestral fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and for her work highlighting music by underrepresented composers.

As a woman of color, Dominguez is “very familiar with the sense of isolation,” students wrote. “Because of her own experiences with this, she strives to uplift those around her and fight for equity and inclusion in the classical music field.”

Scott Harrison, CIM’s Executive Vice President & Provost, agreed. He thanked students for spotting what he does in Dominguez: a sterling example of CIM’s mission and vision.

“Gisel embodies what we mean by the future of classical music,” he said. “She uses her incredible talent to strengthen her community and move her listeners. She is well on her way to fulfilling her dreams and potential, and we are proud to celebrate her accomplishment.”

Theater Fans' Choice Awards
2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats
Best Sound Design - Top 3
1. Adam Fisher - The Lost Boys
36.2% of votes
2. Tony Gayle - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
10.7% of votes
3. Kai Harada - Ragtime
7.2% of votes

Don't Miss a Cleveland News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...


Videos


La Malasangre ( Bad Blood) in Cleveland La Malasangre ( Bad Blood)
LatinUs Theater Compay (5/22-6/07) PHOTOS
Arsenic & Old Lace in Cleveland Arsenic & Old Lace
Weathervane Playhouse, Akron (4/30-5/24) PHOTOS VIDEOS
A BEAUTIFUL NOISE in Cleveland A BEAUTIFUL NOISE
The Stranahan Theater (6/16-6/21)
Rush at Rocket Arena in Cleveland Rush at Rocket Arena
Rocket Arena (9/17-9/18)
PARADE in Cleveland PARADE
Weathervane Playhouse, Akron (6/18-7/19)
Speech & Debate in Cleveland Speech & Debate
Studio Theater (5/29-6/28)
The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Cleveland The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show
The Dinner Detective Cleveland (6/27-6/27)
'Alex Bevan And Friends' bringing his Surfing The Edge Of Legacy tour to The Kent Stage June 6th in Cleveland 'Alex Bevan And Friends' bringing his Surfing The Edge Of Legacy tour to The Kent Stage June 6th
The Kent Stage (6/06-6/06)
The Wizard of Oz in Cleveland The Wizard of Oz
Cassidy Theatre (10/06-10/25)
C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In in Cleveland C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In
Playhouse Square (6/20-6/21)