Monday Musicale held its annual auditions for scholarships for local high school seniors on May 5, at the First Presbyterian Church in Port Angeles. These auditions were open to Clallam County high school seniors including home school students.

The adjudicators were Vicki Helwick, Dr. Jonathan Pasternack, and Phil Morgan-Ellis. Helwick is currently a general music teacher at Jefferson Elementary and a Choir teacher at Stevens Middle School here in Port Angeles. She also sings with the Peninsula Singers and the Northwest Women’s Chorale.

Dr. Pasternack is the Director/Conductor of the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra. He is originally from New York City where he studied violin, cello, trombone, piano and percussion. Morgan-Ellis is Conductor of the Sequim Community Orchestra. He plays viola with the PA Symphony Orchestra and has started Mr. Phil’s Strings for elementary and middle school string students.

This year we had three students audition. Madelynne Jones from Port Angeles High School played the Cello and sang accompanied by her teacher, Jolene Dalton Gailey. Her cello teacher is Traci Tyson and she is also a student of Dr. James Ray. She will attend Pacific Lutheran University and study vocal performance.

Evan Cobb, also from Port Angeles High School, played the cello and the piano. His teachers are Jolene Dalton Gailey and Dr. James Ray. He will be attending Western Washington University and plans a music education major.

Alex Shingleton from Sequim High School played the trumpet accompanied by John Lorentzen. His teacher is Vern Fosket.

The judge’s, after making many notes and lots of discussion felt that Cobb and Jones were too close in talent to pick a first place winner, so they chose to split the total scholarship amount of $6,000 between the two. Shingleton received honorable mention.

Monday Musicale has been giving scholarships since 1968, with the idea of awarding scholarships to local seniors from Clallam County who are studying in the field of music. They are also promoting good music in our community through monthly musical programs.