Wharton Music Center Announces Memorial Scholarship

The Judith G. Wharton Music Center has received a generous gift from Diane Lynch of Summit, NJ to establish an annual scholarship in memory of her mother, Margaret Gillen. Ms. Lynch was seeking a way to remember her mother that would benefit others and acknowledge her mother’s love of music. For Ms. Lynch, a scholarship for music students was an ideal choice. While not a musician herself, Margaret Gillen enjoyed singing and listening to music. Ms. Lynch, who was a member of the Board of Trustees of Wharton Music Center during the mid-1990s, has been studying classical guitar at WMC for several years.

Together Diane Lynch and WMC Executive Director Derek Mithaug decided on awarding multiple Margaret Gillen Memorial Scholarships based on a vocal competition and on WMC’s Annual Honors Recital auditions. The Vocal Competition, the first one ever at WMC, will be held on October 24 and is open to the public. The WMC Honors Recital Auditions will be held on December 4 and is available for WMC students.

The Vocal Competition will be held on Monday, October 24 at Wharton Music Center and will be open to vocalists ages 12 to 18. A $500 scholarship to be credited toward tuition at WMC will be awarded to the best vocal performer. Additionally, scholarships of $150, $100, and $50 will be awarded. Adjudicating the vocal competition will be Broadway and cabaret vocalist Karen Mason, a ten-time MAC Award winner including MAC Award for Major Female Vocalist of the Year for six consecutive years.

The Margaret Gillen Memorial Scholarship Vocal Competition is under the direction of Michelle Oram, Director of Musical Theater at WMC. For more information on the competition and to download a Vocal Competition Application, visit www.WhartonMusicCenter.org . Vocalists are asked to submit a completed application by October 20.

Judith G. Wharton Music Center, located at 60 Locust Avenue in Berkeley Heights, provides music, theater, and dance instruction, educational programs, and performances for children, teens, and adults. In addition to instruction in all instruments and voice, WMC offers classes in musical theater, dance, drama, choral music, vocal music, music theory, audio recording, early childhood music, and music for children with special needs. Offering a range of musical genres including classical, rock, jazz, and blues, WMC is New Jersey’s largest independent community music center serving students in Berkeley Heights, Summit, Chatham, New Providence, Long Hill, Warren, Basking Ridge, Short Hills, Millburn, Livingston, Westfield, Scotch Plains, and other surrounding communities. WMC is a non-profit charitable organization.