October 3,
2005
Gift from Billy Joel endows scholarship
Joel |
usician Russell Scarbrough '04E (MM) has quite a resume. An accomplished trombonist and current doctoral student at the Eastman School, the 33-year-old Baltimore native has written numerous arrangements for pop vocalists with orchestra and has performed in a variety of rock and blues bands, as well as in musical theater shows. Now he can add one more item to the list. Scarbrough has been named the Eastman School's first Billy Joel Scholar thanks to a recent gift of $320,000 from the Piano Man himself, a majority of which is being used to establish an endowed scholarship in the Grammy–winning musician's name.
"What an honor it is to be the first recipient of the Billy Joel Scholarship at Eastman," says Scarbrough. "During the past three years, I have been enormously privileged to study and refine my musical craft here with inspiring professors and to play with such great musicians in all genres. I am grateful to Billy Joel and to the Eastman School for helping me further my career with this scholarship."
A committed advocate for music education, Joel began holding master classes on college campuses more than 20 years ago. He also has long encouraged collaboration among the performing arts as well as the advancement of "crossover" learning and performance among the various genres of music. In support of that effort, the scholarship fund will be used to benefit music students who are exploring relationships between classical and popular music genres.
"I believe this scholarship not only will afford a worthy student much-needed support," says Dean James Undercofler, "it also will contribute to finding solutions to the significant challenges facing music in society today."
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