Prizes and Awards

Melvin B. Troy Prize in Music and Dance
The Melvin B. Troy Prize in Music and Dance was established by the family and friends of Melvin B. Troy '48. Each year, it is given by the Music and Dance Department to a student with the best, most insightful paper in music or dance or composition or choreography.
2021-22 Troy Prize in Dance:
2021-22 Troy Prize in Music: August Green ‘22 , "Music and Healing: An Autoethnography on How Music Aids in Personal Growth." and Reid Mansur ‘23, "The Zarzuela as a National From: Class, Nationality, and the Issue of Spanish Canonicity"
2020-21 Troy Prize in Dance: Meena Chen ‘21, Zoe Jannuzi ‘22
2020-21 Troy Prize in Music: Peter Wu ‘22 for his paper, "Symphony of the Night: A Classic Inspired by the Classical." and Maxwell Gong ‘22 for his, "Three Pieces for Reed Quintet."
The Ken Guilmartin '67 Student Summer Fellowship
The Ken Guilmartin ’67 Student Summer Fellowship was established in 2018 by Ken Guilmartin ’67. The fund is intended to support creative, direct experience student projects in music. The recipient(s) will be chosen by the Provost’s office, in consultation with the faculty of the Music Department.
2021-22: Isshin Yunoki '25, “The Pursuit and Creation of Jazz-Inspired Music”
2020-21: Gregory Boatman ’23 - "Ballet Composition Project" and Quincy Ponvert ‘23 - “Space Pirates!!!!” Musical and Demo Recording
2019-20: Fouad Dakwar ‘22 - “In Vitro” a Rock Opera
2018-19: Omar Camps-Kamrin ‘20
The Shang-How Music Fund
The Shang-How Music Fund was established in 2021 by an anonymous donor. The Fund is intended to assist in supporting at least one music major or minor summer opportunity in any area of music. The recipient(s) will be currently enrolled students selected by the Provost's office in consultation with the Music Program of the Department of Music and Dance.
2021-22: Quincy Ponvert ‘23
The Boyd Barnard Prize
The Boyd Barnard Prize, established by Boyd T. Barnard '17, is awarded by the music faculty each year to a student in the junior class in recognition of musical excellence and achievement.
2021-22: Cassidy Cheong '23 & Megumi Ozawa '23
2020-21: Hannah Sobel ‘22 & Andy Zhang ‘22
The Peter Gram Swing Award
The Peter Gram Swing Prize is awarded by the music faculty to an outstanding student whose plans for graduate study in music indicate special promise and need. The endowment for the prize was established in the name of Ruth Cross Barnard '19.
2021-22: Hannah Sobel '22
2019-20: Shira Samuels-Shragg ‘20
2014-15: Paolo Debuque ‘15
2013-14: Jeremy Rapaport-Stein ‘14
2010-11: John Pierce ‘11
2008-09: Harrison Russin ‘09
2007-08: Anne Searcy ‘08
2006-07: Micaela Baranello ‘07
2005-06: Tamara Ryan ‘06
2002-03: Julie Gregorio ‘03
2001-02: Karina Kacala ‘02
1999-00: Sara Kramer ‘00
1997-98: Sonja Downing ‘98
Freeman Scholars
This scholarship, named in honor of Prof. Emeritus James Freeman, one of the founders of our department, covers 100% of student musician lesson fees up to $1500 per semester, including reasonable travel costs if those lessons take place off campus.
2022-23: Jenna Takach '24 and Taylor Kang '23
2021-22: Andy Zhang '22, Sagar Rao '22, Maya Plotnick '22, Hannah Sobel '22, and Spencer Tate '22
2020-21: Herbie Rand ‘21, Andy Zhang ‘22
The Renee Gaddie '93 Memorial Award
The Renee Gaddie '93 Award, established in memory of Renee Gaddie '93, is given by the music faculty to a member of the Swarthmore College Gospel Choir who is studying voice through the Music Department (MUSI 048: Individual Instruction) program. The award subsidizes the entire cost of voice lessons for that semester.
The Swarthmore College Gospel Choir has been inactive, but will return to campus in 2022-23!