Excellence and Compassion - Reading Musical Foundation

RMF Awards Over $7,000
Recognizing Teamwork and Excellence in Music
At no cost to Berks County School Districts, the Reading Musical Foundation invited
each district and its music faculty to participate in an awards program designed to reward
outstanding student leadership in music education for the past two years. Providing 80 years
of service in Berks County, the Foundation looks for opportunities to build bridges with public school
and private music teachers in efforts to enhance music education and experience in our county. For
that purpose, the Foundation established four separate programs of annual awards to recognize student
musicians who best exemplify RMF’s mission.
CRITERIA
RMF Esprit de Corps Award ($100) - Students Exiting Middle School
This award is given each spring to one student graduating from each of Berks County’s middle schools
who best exemplifies RMF’s updated mission. The student should be a superb role model for other
musicians and aspire toward high standards in musical performance or composition. Ensemble, or
“team-playing,” is as important as personal virtuosity or technical skill. Throughout the student’s tenure
in middle school, it will have been obvious to the music faculty that the student values giving something
back to other students and/or to the community.
RMF Outstanding High School Musician Award ($100) - Graduating Seniors
Similar to the Esprit de Corps Award, this award has the same criteria but is for graduating seniors.
RMF Accompanist Award ($100) - High School Students
Reliable, skillful keyboard accompanists are essential to nearly all high school music and theater
programs. The skill of accompanying is unique in ensemble performance. This program is designed to
reward one outstanding student keyboard accompanist in each of Berks County’s senior high schools
who is skillful, diligent, and available as a keyboard accompanist and generally supportive of his or her
school music program.
RMF “Project Penske” Jazz Musicianship Award ($100) - Open to Middle & High School Students
An RMF “Project Penske” Jazz Musicianship Award is available each spring to one student in each
of Berks County’s school districts who best exemplifies the creativity, skill in improvisation or jazz
composition, respect for musical ensemble, virtuosity if a performer, and zeal to participate actively in the
preservation and development of jazz that are characteristic of a jazz musician.
OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIAN
Heidi Bauman
Boyertown (tie)
• NewS of Note • fALL 008
Alena Lerch
Boyertown (tie)
Sara Gummo
Brandywine Heights
Kristen Tripolitis
Daniel Boone