Each year, about 20 finalists are selected from among the many scholarship applicants by a panel of accomplished teachers who listen, anonymously to their audiotapes. At the recent auditions these finalists, ages 7-18, played two contrasting pieces from memory before three prominent adjudicators, Scott Donald, Tomoko Kanamaru, Michael Thompoulos who selected the winners. Members, teachers and parents were in the enthusiastic audience.

Over the last eighteen years, more than 100 students have received Steinway Society scholarships. Many of the past winners have gone on to win other state and national prizes and study music in college. Each year a total of $3,000 to $4,000 is granted, depending on revenues from Musicale attendance.

• David Kaiyi Ko, student of Frank Levy, tied for Second Place Tie in Group 1.
• Hyungdo Kim, student of Yuri Kim, tied for Second Place in Group I.
• Alison Kao, student of Marcia Maull, received Third Place in Group 1.
• Allen Yueh, student of Yelena Ivanov, tied for First Place in Group 2 (photo unavailable).
• Farshad Tahvildar-Zadeh, student of Larissa Korkina, tied for First Place in Group 2.
• Katelyn Tran, student of Veda Zuponcic , received Second Place in Group 2.
• Aileen Jiang, student of Peter Vinograde, finalist in Group 2.
• Christopher Law, student of Ryugin Mikuriya, finalist in Group 2.

• Melissa Chan, student of Veda Zuponcic, received First Place in Group 3.
• Robert Buxton, student of Yuan Sheng, received Second Place in Group 3.
• Josephine Li, student of Marion Zarzeczna, received Third Place in Group 3.
• Jacek Skryzalin, student of Veda Zuponcic, received Honorable Mention in Group 3.
• Mio Onishi, student of Eri Kang, finalist in Group 3.
• Sophia Yan, student of Julia Lam, received First Place in Group 4.
• Jeanette Aufiero, student of Frank Levy, received Second Place in Group 4.
• Kyle Ehrmann, student of Ruth Kotik, received Honorable Mention in Group 4.
• Paul Kolb, student of Fred Gajewski, finalist in Group 4.
• Christine Cuiffreda, student of Beatrice Long, finalist in Group 4.

Dr. L. Scott Donald is the Administrative Director for the New School of Music Study in Kingston, NJ. Dr. Donald received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Furman University in Greenville, SC where he studied with John Roberts. He received a Master of Music in Applied Piano and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education/Piano Pedagogy from The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied piano with Danielle Martin and pedagogy with Robert Duke, Martha Hilley and Amanda Vick Lethco. Dr. Donald maintains an active schedule involving performance, research and pedagogy presentations. He has presented research at the local, state and National level and has published articles for Texas Music Education Research, Piano Pedagogy Forum, and Keyboard Companion. His research involves studying the motor skill development in piano performance and the structure of practice. He is also a frequent adjudicator of festivals and auditions. Dr. Donald is on the Executive board for the New Jersey Music Teachers Association, a member of Music Teachers National Association and the National Guild of Community Schools for the Arts.

Tomoko Kanamaru. Since her first solo appearance with a professional orchestra in Tokyo at age nine; Tomoko Kanamaru has been performing on the stages in the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan. She has recorded for Nippon (Japan) Columbia label and for several radio broadcast. During recent seasons, Ms. Kanamaru has appeared as a soloist at subscription concerts of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra. At the 27th and 29th Corpus Christi International Competitions in Texas, Ms. Kanamaru was awarded "Best Accompanist" award, and has continued to be very active also as a collaborative artist. Currently assistant professor and keyboard area coordinator at The College of New Jersey, Ms. Kanamaru has previously served as a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and College of Mount St. Joseph among others. She has given master classes throughout the U.S., including such cities as Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles. Ms Kanamaru has co-edited more than 30 volumes of educational piano music published by the Yamaha Music Foundation, while she frequently writes articles and essays for major music magazines in Japan.

Michael Thompoulos is the winner of numerous musical awards and prizes, including the Gina Bachauer International Competition and the prestigious International Concert Artist Guild Competition. As winner of the latter he made his formal New York Recital Debut in Carnegie Recital Hall in 1978. He has performed as guest soloist with orchestras such as The Boston Symphony Orchestra, The New Hampshire Philharmonic and the Julliard Philharmonia. His many solo and chamber music credits include performances at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center and The Tanglewood Festival as well as radio and television appearances. Mr. Thomopoulos is director of the Palisades School of Music in New Jersey and founder/director of the Palisades Chamber Players. His students have won top awards in international competitions, and they perform frequently in recitals and as soloists with orchestras in the U.S. and abroad. In the New York City area they give annual recitals in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and regular concerts at Steinway Hall. Mr. Thomopoulos has judged the Bergen Philharmonic Concerto Competition and has given master classes at The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. As an expert on piano pedagogy at the pre-professional level he was invited to speak at the 1996 National Piano Pedagogy Conference in Chicago and the 1997 World Piano Pedagogy Conference in Philadelphia. This year Mr. Thomopoulos was chosen to be listed in "Who's Who in America" for his outstanding contributions to music education.