The Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra awarded Joel Barlow High School senior Graham Litz of Redding, CT a $1,000 college scholarship at its 20th Anniversary Season Finale Concert this month.
The scholarship is funded by parents of WCYO musicians, its Board of Directors, and staff and is awarded based on an essay related to the experience of being a musician. Judged by its Board of Directors, this year’s WCYO essay focussed on the evolution of the students’ definition of what makes a “great” musician.
Graham’s essay highlighted his growing willingness for “fun-infused risk-taking” as a musician, and discovering within himself a growing confidence in “deciphering complex rhythms” and the understanding that the way “one becomes good at something is to constantly challenge oneself.” Graham noted one key moment as follows:
“One of my fondest memories remains a moment from that practice that my stand partner encouragingly scribbled atop my page “You’ve got this!” In the WCYO, everyone constantly pushes themselves while fostering a sense of community.”
Graham is a violin student of Darwin Shen of Norwalk, CT and Christopher Breault at Joel Barlow High School. He has been a member of WCYO since middle school and joined the WCYO Symphony Orchestra in 9th grade where he held a seat as a first violinist. Graham will be attending Yale University in the fall.
“It is wonderful to see how the WCYO community comes together each year to award one of our seniors a scholarship,” said Ruth Feldman, WCYO Executive Director, “and we congratulate Graham on his many successes as a musician and student. We will miss him!”
Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra is non-profit youth orchestra program based in Ridgefield, CT and provides advanced music performance opportunities to youth musicians from more than 20 towns in the surrounding Connecticut and New York communities. To learn more about the WCYO or to schedule an audition, please visit wctyo.org or call 203-894-8786.