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Southern Delaware Chorale announces music scholarship recipients

August 20, 2016

The Southern Delaware Chorale recently announced that it has awarded music scholarships to five local high school students. The Lee Mitchell Scholarship provides membership in the Southern Delaware Chorale, concert music and attire, and voice lessons for the 2016-17 school year. The values of the scholarships range from $500 to more than $1,000 each. In the spring, all sophomore and junior high school students in Sussex County were invited to audition for the scholarship.

Natalie Atkinson is a senior at Sussex Central High School. She began her journey as a choir member in fourth grade and continued through middle school and high school. Atkinson was an All-State Choir member in high school and participates in Sussex Central Drama Club performing in musicals. She aspires to attend Westminster Choir College in New Jersey to become a professional vocal performer with a focus in opera.

Eryk Bluto is a junior at Sussex Technical High School studying media broadcasting. He is involved in the Concert Choir and Chamber Ensembles as well as the Drama Club at his school. Bluto was in All-State Choir in seventh and eighth grade. He finds singing as an escape to a whole different world where he can do anything if he puts his mind to it.

Leon DeShields is a senior at Laurel Senior High School. He is head section leader and student director during all performances of the Concert Choir and small-group ensembles. DeShields has been the lead in every school musical since the seventh grade and has participated in the Delaware All-State Chorus and Maryland's All-State Chorus and All- StateChoir. He aspires to be on Broadway and attend America's Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

Lauren Mahetta, a senior at Sussex Technical High School, was a Lee Mitchell Scholarship recipient last season. She was heavily involved in singing since going to Southern Delaware School of the Arts. There she was introduced to Show Choir and All-State Chorus. At Sussex Tech, Mahetta continued with All-State and joined the school's Concert Choir, Bella Voce and the Chamber Ensemble. She hopes to pursue music education in college.

Abby Thornberg is a senior at Sussex Technical High School. She participates in the school's Concert Choir, Bella Voce and the Chamber Ensemble. She attended the Governor's School for Excellence for singing, and has been involved with Delaware All-State Chorus. Thornberg is excited to have the opportunity to sing with the Southern Delaware Chorale.

The Lee Mitchell Scholarship program was made possible by an endowment from the family of the late Lee Mitchell, internationally renowned pianist and composer. The scholarship was initiated to advance the cause of music and arts among high school students. Through fundraising efforts and contributions, the chorale has been able to offer five scholarships this year. For more information on the Southern Delaware Chorale and the Lee Mitchell Scholarship,  go to www.southerndelawarechorale.org.

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