2023 College Scholarship and Cash Award Winners

1st Place $8,000 Scholarship

Ray Strickland

underwritten by Mary Strauss

2nd Place $6,000 Scholarship

Noah Van Ess

underwritten by John Russell

3rd Place $4,000 Scholarship

Avery Payne

underwritten by Sally Johnson

Audience Choice Award $1,000 Scholarship

Cats Jazz Collective

underwritten by Odile and Fred Tompkins

MVP – Most Valuable Performer Award

Noah Van Ess

underwritten by the Board of the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation

Kranzberg Vocal Performance Award

Noah Van Ess

underwritten by Ken & Nancy Kranzberg

The “I” Award

Saisha Bhutani

underwritten by the Gupta-Trampe family to encourage the winner to continue their artistic journey delivering joy and happiness to others

Keep Art Happening Scholarship

Anna Layher

underwritten by Arts & Education Council of St. Louis

Poppy Award

Drum Warriors Ensemble

underwritten by Terry & Sally Schnuck for the most Imaginative, Inspired, and Inventive act

Voss Family Originality Award

Ray Strickland

underwritten by Tom & Carol Voss for the best original work in composition, writing, arranging or choreography

Berges Classical Performance Award

Ariana Kroeger

underwritten by the Berges family

Barrett Barrera Projects Dance Award

Avery Payne

underwritten by Susan Barrett

Terry Lynford Classical Music Scholarship

Cindy Yan

underwritten by Terry Lynford

Musical Theatre Scholarship Award

Ava Hettenhausen

underwritten by Donald Jones & Pat Vogelsang

St. Louis Recording Club Prize

Ray Strickland

underwritten by the Carl Nappa

Bach Society of Saint Louis

Olivia Knopf

Olivia Knopf (semi-finalist) has been awarded the opportunity to engage in a side-by-side chorus rehearsal, participation in a vocal master class, and/or the opportunity to perform in a Bach Society of Saint Louis Choral Concert