WHWC Scholarship Program
The mission of the West Hartford Women’s Chorale is to enrich the cultural life of the community by performing a broad repertoire of vocal music and to provide music and music education for the benefit of the community. In keeping with this mission, the chorale seeks to support young vocalists and musicians who have demonstrated a commitment to music with a scholarship to be put toward their future education. We hope that these scholarships will help support students with their dreams for the future.
The West Hartford Women’s Chorale awards annual scholarships to outstanding high school students who demonstrate exceptional talent and dedication to their musical and academic pursuits. The recipients are chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants in the Greater Hartford Region and the scholarships aim to support their future educational and artistic endeavors. This year marks the WHWC’s 16th year of awarding student musician scholarships.
2025 Scholarship Winners Announced
The WHWC is very proud to announce our 2025 recipients for two $1500 scholarship awards. Chosen from an exceptionally talented pool of applicants, the WHWC Scholarship Committee has chosen Nairobi Mouning from Granby High School and Liliana Mraz, from Glastonbury High School.
2025 Scholarship Winners:
Nairobi Mouning + Liliana Mraz
Nairobi Mouning has balanced a challenging academic program at Granby High School and a half day program at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (GHAA), where she is the #1 drummer.
Calvin Linderman, her teacher at GHAA, said, “Nairobi Mouning is one of the best students and one of the most incredible people I have ever had the pleasure of teaching…. Not a day has ever gone by where Nairobi hasn't been anything short of excellent. She is kind, thoughtful, and extremely empathetic to her peers, and has been a leader in my classroom. Every faculty member and student in my school, no matter what art form they work in or age, knows who Nairobi is and acknowledges her as a premier member of our student body. She has earned this acclaim through her extremely affable disposition, her unbelievable work ethic, her professional level of reliability, and her undeniable talent as a musician and artist.”
In describing her love of music, Nairobi says, “Music has played a massive part in how I perceive the world around me and has widened my perspective on the world and just how beautiful diversity and inclusion is in all aspects. Getting to do what I love with people I love on a daily basis is a dream come true for me, and I can’t wait to see where this path takes me as I grow and continue to find myself as I enter adulthood.
Nairobi’s work ethic in juggling two programs, her talent and her support for equity was impressive. Nairobi plans to pursue a college degree in Music Therapy.
Liliana Mraz from Glastonbury High School impressed the committee with her enthusiasm for music and excellence in academics and extracurricular activities. She sings at the town senior center and works with children in the lower grades and at Camp Sunrise. Talented in singing and playing the violin, she is part of the school's elite Madrigals and Chamber Orchestra.
The Glastonbury Director of Choirs, Ethan Nash, described Liliana: “I have (also) had the pleasure of working with her in numerous musical theater productions over the years. Lily is simply a superb musician, with outstanding sight-reading ability and musicianship. She has a beautiful soprano voice and sings consistently in tune. She has the ability to sing solos in a variety of styles and yet also blends beautifully in a choral setting.”
Liliana embodies the spirit of the West Hartford Women’s choir by volunteering as a Big Sibling and facilitator in the NAMES anti-bullying program, along with other community events. Her musical talent has also earned awards and chances to perform at various venues. She plans to continue her music involvement while studying neuroscience in college.
The WHWC strives to support music education in the community through performances, collaborations, and annual scholarships. Thank you to our generous Giving Tuesday 2024 donors who made these scholarships possible. Many thanks to Sheila Nussbaum, Jane Comerford and the WHWC scholarship committee for their efforts in selecting these young musicians on their way to bringing music into the future!