First Place Winners, L to R: Joshua Kim, Cello, Anna Lee, Soprano, and Eamon Griffith, Piano
The Spring scholarship luncheon hosted by the Guild of the Birmingham Music Club is a highlight of the organization’s activities. It focuses on presenting winners of the annual scholarship competition for students in Alabama colleges and universities This year’s event on April 14 at Mountain Brook Club drew an enthusiastic group of Guild members and guests for the first-place scholarship winners’ performances.
Elouise Williams was Mountain Brook Club hostess for the occasion, which was co-chaired by Lochrane Coleman Smith and Cheree Carlton. Mrs. Carlton welcomed attendees, and Nancy Canada gave the invocation. Round luncheon tables were pretty with pink cloths overlaying white damask. Centerpieces were birdcages holding miniature ferns, caladiums, and Spring blossoms that repeated pastel colors of murals in the sunlit ballroom.
Following the luncheon, Guild President Linda Griggs presided at a brief business meeting. She recognized named scholarship donors’ family members who were present, including Linda and Grace Cooper (Stuart Mims Instrumental Scholarship); Nancy Sechriest of Montgomery (Walter Sechriest Best Performance Award), Anne and Tom Lamkin (Dr. Oscar and Ellen Dahlene Voice Scholarship); and Judy Anderson (Charles C. and Julia W. Anderson Piano Scholarship).
New officers for 2017-18 were elected. They are: Judy Anderson, president; Laura Bryan, executive vice president; Elise Warren, Beverly Parks, Marsha Drennen, and Anne Lamkin, 1st vice presidents-projects; Nancy Canada, 2nd vice president-placement; Kim Strickland, 3rd vice president-programs; Marsha Drennen, 4th vice president-locations; Lesley DeRamus, 5th vice president-membership; Margery Whatley and Linda Pope, 6th vice presidents-scholarships; Roberta Atkinson, recording secretary; Miriam Morris, corresponding secretary; Nell Larson, treasurer; Jeanne Bradford, historian; and Linda Griggs, parliamentarian.
Kim Strickland, who co-chaired the scholarship competition with Margery Whatley, introduced the first-place winners. Giving extraordinary performances were University of Alabama student J. Joshua Kim, cello, winner of the Stuart Mims Instrumental Scholarship; UAB student Eamon Griffith, piano, winner of the Mildred Volentine Green Piano Scholarship; and Jacksonville State University student Anna Lee, soprano, winner of the Penelope Cunningham Voice Scholarship and the Walter Sechriest Best Performance Award. She was accompanied by pianist Aleta Hunt.
Second-place winners were University of Alabama student Madeline Cawley, instrumental: Samford student Brooke Proctor, piano; University of North Alabama student Hunter Moore Mitchell, voice, winner of the Dr. Oscar and Ellen Dahlene Scholarship. Honorable mention went to Sarah Harbaugh, Samford; and Calliope R. Pettis, Montevallo.
At adjournment, Lochrane Coleman Smith presented door-prize winner Bess McCrory with an attractive Easter-themed decoration.
