Coladarci and Ehlers Arts Scholarships

The 2023/2024 scholarship application is NOW OPEN!

2 arts scholarships; 1 application. (Application is now closed)

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION: 

Morris Arts is offering the Elaine Ehlers ($5,000) and Eugenie Coladarci ($1,500) Arts Scholarships to recognize graduating high school seniors who has exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, visual arts or music.

Eligibility:
Applications will be accepted from high school seniors graduating in June 2024 who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school in New Jersey. Applicants must be Morris County residents who plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program, and who have demonstrated artistic excellence. Your completed application automatically qualifies you for consideration for either scholarship. Children of Morris Arts trustees, staff, and panelists are not eligible.
 
Application Requirements:
To apply, you will be required to submit artistic work samples, two brief essays, a list of artistic activities and/or special awards and recognitions within your online application form. Two letters of recommendation are to be submitted separately via email to Cyndall Brice at cbrice@morrisarts.org

 

Apply Here

 
Important dates: 
-March 8th : Application deadline *EXTENDED*
-March 22nd : Deadline for optional updates from applicants
-June 22nd : Scholarships will be awarded at our 40th Annual Giralda Music & Arts Festival 
 
Evaluation Process:
Applicants will be judged by a panel of professionals with a high level of expertise in college arts education and/or professional experience. Each artistic discipline will be represented on the panel. Selection of  scholarship winners will be based on artistic excellence as demonstrated by the quality of the work samples and application submitted to the panel. Dedication and character will also be considered. Each scholarship will be paid directly to the student’s selected college/arts program to assist with tuition.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Cyndall Brice at cbrice@morrisarts.org.

Checklist:

  • Complete and submit online application
  • Within your online application, upload your .pdf or .doc file containing essay responses and links to properly labeled work samples
  • Have your teachers submit their Letters of Recommendations via email to Cyndall Brice at cbrice@morrisarts.org
  • Optional Update: We do allow applicants to share any additional information (e.g. awards, honors, college acceptances) that occurs after you have submitted your application, but before the panel meets to make its final decision (every year’s deadline varies), please email to: Cyndall Brice at cbrice@morrisarts.org with “Scholarships” as the subject line.

History: 

The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997. As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life. The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her.

The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical. She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions. By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education.


Past Arts Scholarship Winners

Morris Arts announces the 2023 Ehlers and Coladarci Arts Scholarship Winners

L-R: 2023 Scholarship winners: Visual artist Yiru Zhou (Ehlers) and trumpeter Michael Minenna (Coladarci). 

The 2023 Scholarship winners were visual artist Yiru Zhou (left) of Chatham High School who received the Elaine Ehlers Scholarship of $5,000 went onto Northeastern University to further her education. Trumpeter Michael Minenna (right) of Morris Knolls High School who received the Eugenie Coladarci Scholarship of $1,500 went onto Michigan State University to further his studies.

Honorable mentions include visual artist Iris Ferranti (Madison High School) and violinist Leah Kvares (Randolph High School).

Students were recognized at the 2023 Giralda Music & Arts Festival on June 25, 2023. 

Each year, Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program. The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience.

The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical. She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions. By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education.

Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997. As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life. The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her.

Morris Arts’ Executive Director, Tom Werder shares, “Morris Arts is honored to offer these scholarships to two young extremely talented artists. We are making an investment in their future as they pursue their artistic career in college.”


 

The 2022 Ehlers Arts Scholarship winner, bassoonist Jack Pasacreta, graduated from Chatham High School and will pursue studies in bassoon performance and music education at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. During the past 4 years he studied at the Mannes School of Music’s Prep (pre-college) Division and Juilliard’s Pre-College Division as well as pursuing summer training at the Kinhaven Music School in Vermont. He has been a bassoonist with both the selective New Jersey and New York Youth Symphonies and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Halls with various ensembles. His Juilliard teacher commented that Jack “…always plays with character and panache…I see both excellent accomplishment and enormous potential…and know that he has an excellent future ahead of him.”

The 2022 Coladarci Arts Scholarship winner is actor, Kyra Longenecker, a graduate of Madison High School who will be attending Rider University’s BFA Musical Theatre program in the fall. Kyra participated in the Papermill Playhouse New Voices Summer Conservatory (on full scholarship), The Performing Arts Project, studying voice with Thomas Sellwood and dance with Jaquelynne Radcliff. One recommender stated, “…Kyra’s ability to make new and interesting choices on stage is her greatest artistic gift.” Another recommender stated, “I have not met a student so dedicated to their art before…” and “Kyra is hands down the first student I can see making it onto the big stages.”

The judges were unanimous in their choices. Congratulations to all!


Morris Arts announces the 2020 Ehlers and Coladarci Arts Scholarship Winners

Each year, Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program. The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience.

Violinist Ryan Nguyen, 2020 Ehlers Scholarship Winner

Visual Artist Emma Schaberg, 2020 Scholarship winner

Morris County high school seniors graduating in June 2020 who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school or who are home schooled in New Jersey were eligible. Applicants must also (a) be Morris County residents, (b) plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program, and (c) have demonstrated artistic excellence in any one of four arts disciplines: dance, drama, music, or visual arts.

This year’s Ehlers Scholarship winner, violinist Ryan Nguyen, a graduating senior at Morris Hills High School, will pursue a minor in music at Stanford University next fall. He plans to continue performing, studying and teaching violin in Stanford’s MELODY program. Ryan distinguished himself as a 2018 and 2019 Gold Winner in the National League of Performing Arts International Young Artists Competition, a 2nd Prize winner for East Coast International Competition, and Grand Winner in the IMAS Talented Young Musicians Olympia Competition. Additionally, he studied violin privately at the pre-college division of the Manhattan School of Music, performed in the NJ Youth Symphony, All State, Regionals, served as concertmaster in multiple string ensembles, and soloed with the Sussex County Youth Orchestra. He wrote movingly of the power of his violin to transcend barriers of language, culture and generation, especially noting how it enables him to communicate with his Vietnamese grandparents. Ryan impressed the scholarship panel with his technical skill, the clarity and beauty of his tone quality, his bow control, excellent intonation, wide dynamic range and the maturity of his musicianship. His violin teacher at the Manhattan School stated: “Of all the talented students who have passed through my studio over the last fifteen years…Ryan is one of the best of them all. He would easily rank amongst the top of all pre-college violin students.”

This year’s Coladarci Scholarship winner is visual artist Emma Schaberg, a graduating senior at West Morris Mendham High School. She attended pre-college animation training at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, won 1st and 3rd places in acrylic painting at the highly selective Blackwell Street Juried Art Exhibit at the Atrium Gallery, qualified for the competitive “Fresh Perspectives” juried high school exhibit at the Morris Museum, had her work in the Congressional Art Competition and is currently hired by Dr. Yana Kofman (of The Yoga Way) to create illustrations for yoga publications, a children’s book and memoir. Citing her own health difficulties, Emma explains, “… the silent power of my paintbrush has tipped the scale and given me the courage to unearth the emotions of life….” The panel was particularly impressed by that emotional power in her artwork, the technical skill in her execution, the composition and use of color, the sophistication of her animation and the overall artistic maturity of her work. One recommender stated, “…in my twenty-five years of teaching I have rarely (if ever) had a student that I could recommend as highly as Emma…In every art class that she has taken, she has consistently stood out as the top student.”
The winners will be introduced at the March 12, 2020 opening reception for the new exhibit, Vanishing Worlds, featuring works by nine outstanding artists and guest curated by Yvette Lucas, in the Gallery at 14 Maple (3rd floor, 14 Maple Ave., Morristown). The free reception, from 6-8pm, is open to the public.

To download the 2020 application materials, click HERE
Application Deadline EXTENDED to January 23, 2020


Morris Arts announces 2019 Ehlers and Coladarci Arts Scholarship Winners

Each year, Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program. The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience.

Morris County high school seniors graduating in June 2019 who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school or who are home schooled in New Jersey were eligible. Applicants must also (a) be Morris County residents, (b) plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program, and (c) have demonstrated artistic excellence in any one of four arts disciplines: dance, drama, music, or visual arts.

The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical.  She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions.  By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education.

This year’s Ehlers Scholarship winner, dancer Leah Suskind, is a graduating senior at the Morris County School of Technology/ Academy for Visual and Performing Arts and, next fall, will pursue a Bachelors of Fine Arts as a Dance Major at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. A Finalist Winner for the National Dance Education Organization Artistic Merit, Leadership, and Academic Achievement Award, a three-time winner at the Teen Arts Festival (County College of Morris) and winner of numerous scholarships, overall awards and judges’ awards for competition dance, Leah received scholarships from Rutgers Pre-College Dance Conservatory, Ballet Forté, and the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. Additionally, she has pursued training at the highly competitive Summer Intensives / Programs at Juilliard, NYU Tisch Summer High School Dance Program, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, RIOULT, the Rockettes, Bailar Al Sol Dance Festival, West Side Dance Center, NextStep Dance Company and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. One recommendation cited Leah’s “command of multiple genres” and her “creativity and technical skill in dance” while another stated, “As a dance professional for over 30 years, there have only been a few students whom I would highly recommend for seeking a dance career and Leah is one of them.”   For her application, she performed both “competition” style work and her original work, Illuminate. She choreographed Illuminate “in honor of one of my younger brothers who was recently a victim of an anti-Semitic hate crime at our synagogue’s Holocaust Remembrance Service late April.” The work eloquently communicated Leah’s “sadness for the past and hope for the future” and the panel found her performance deeply moving, technically demanding, artistically mature and exquisitely executed.

The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997.  As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life.  The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her.

This year’s Coladarci Scholarship winner is soprano Sophia Grace Donelan, a graduating senior at Villa Walsh Academy, who hopes to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at a major conservatory and, eventually, to become a professional opera singer  With extensive training in voice, acting and dance, Sophia qualified for the 2018 summer Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Vocal Program where she studied voice, music theory, music history, diction, movement/bodywork and art song recitals, sang the role of Frasquita in the “Card Trio” from Carmen, soloed in the West Side Story Medley, sang for the Master Class with Mezzo Kelly O’Connor and performed with the BSO Chorus under John Williams.  A National Semi-Finalist in the High School Division/Classical Singer Music Vocal Competition, she was also a National Finalist in the New York Lyric Opera Vocal Competition (High School Division). One recommender stated “I believe this lovely young lady has the beautiful instrument, musical intelligence and emotional fortitude to become a great singing actor.”  Another states, “In my forty plus years of teaching and conducting, I can say without reservation that Sophia is truly exceptional!”…The panel felt Sophia was far more advanced and well trained than most singers her age. Impressed by her refined and skilled performance of challenging repertoire in three languages, panelists noted her beautiful tone quality, accurate intonation, clear diction, breath control, well-shaped phrasing, wide dynamic range as well as her understanding of and ability to expressively convey the meaning of the texts she sang.

The panel also felt strongly about awarding an Honorable Mention to acknowledge the accomplishments of multi-instrumentalist, prize-winning composer and outstanding bassoonist, Matt Wisotsky, who is a graduating senior at West Morris Mendham High School. According to one recommendation, “he has proven to be one of the finest young musicians I have encountered in over forty-five years of teaching.” 

The winners were introduced at the March 14, 2019 opening reception for the new exhibit, seeing the unseen, featuring works by ten outstanding artists and guest curated by Greg Leshé, in the Gallery at 14 Maple (3rd floor, 14 Maple Ave., Morristown).

Here are some PHOTOS from that reception:

    

2018 Scholarship Winners:

On the evening of March 15, 2018 Morris Arts introduced Pianist John Duc-Tuan Nguyen, winner of the Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship (of $5,000), and actress Nicole Giordano, winner of the Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship (of $1,500), at the opening reception for approaching VIBRANCY, the new exhibit in the Gallery at 14 Maple.

This year’s Ehlers Scholarship winner, John Duc-Tuan Nguyen, is a graduating senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science and Engineering in Rockaway. He plans to double major (or possibly minor) in music performance in college. Winning 3rd place in the 8th Chopin International Piano Competition, Grand Prix in the National Young Musician Showcase Competition and IMAS Talented Young Musician Olympia Competition, and garnering top places in numerous other national and international competitions, Nguyen has performed as a soloist at Carnegie’s Weill and Zankel Halls, NJPAC and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall.  His piano teacher described him as “truly gifted,”  “exciting,” a “striking talent,” with a “marvelous musical imagination for both lines and colors.”  For his application, Nguyen’s outstanding performances of two very difficult works (Lizst/Schumann Dedication [Widmung], op. 25, no.1 and Chopin’s Sonata in B minor, Op. 58, Movement IV: Finale. Presto non Tanto; Agitato) demonstrated his musical maturity, poise, precision, exceptional technical skills, keen understanding of structure and “voicing,” clarity of line, poetic expressiveness, wide dynamic range, and unique flair in performance. As a pianist, he is that rare combination of formidable technique coupled with a profound understanding of the music.

This year’s Coladarci Scholarship winner is actress Nicole Giordano, a graduating senior at Mountain Lakes High School who plans to pursue a BFA in acting at college.  With advanced training at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Boston University’s Summer Theater Institute, she was a finalist at the Governor’s Awards for the Speech and Theatre Association of NJ (besting nearly 500 competitors),  won the Best Leading Actress award at the Bucks County Theatre Festival,  and was one of 15 chosen from among 2,500 applicants for NYU’s Tisch Future Theater Artists Program. Her drama teacher stated, “This girl’s natural talents far outweigh those of many working actors today.”

The panel also felt strongly about awarding an Honorable Mention, to acknowledge the outstandingly creative and unique work by visual artist Coral Coad, a graduating senior at West Morris Mendham High School. Cited by one teacher for her “rare and precious gift,” Coral created costumes, designed film sets and produced artwork of great originality and quality.

 The judges were unanimous in these choices. Congratulations to all!


Tuesday, February 28th, 2017

2017 Scholarship Winners are oboist Ethan Whang and soprano Lila Dunn

Morris Arts has announced the 2017 winners of its annual Elaine Ehlers and Eugenie Coladarci arts scholarships for graduating high school seniors are Ethan Whang of Mountain Lakes High School and Lila Dunn of West Morris Mendham High School.

Morris Arts Announces 2017 Scholarships Winners -- Graduating Seniors from Mountain Lakes and West Morris Mendham High Schools

Ethan Whang

Ethan Whang, a graduating senior at Mountain Lakes High School, will be attending Harvard University, where he plans to study chamber music and conducting. He has studied oboe and English horn at the Juilliard Pre-College Division and with teachers drawn from the Metropolitan Opera and NYC Ballet Orchestras.

The principal oboist and English horn player in the NJ Youth Symphony, Ethan was one of only two Americans selected internationally for the Verbier International Music Festival in Switzerland, where he was principal oboist. His school counselor called him “brilliant and inquisitive.” His Juilliard oboe instructor praised him lavishly, citing his passion and outstanding artistic ability.

The panel was impressed not only by Ethan’s advanced technique but also by his mature musicianship, versatility, clarity of articulation, intonation, depth of expression, artistry and the sheer beauty of his sound.

Lila Dunn distinguished herself as the top ranked soprano in All-National, All-State, Regional and County choral competitions and has pursued extensive private voice lessons. Her experienced voice teacher called her “one of the most exceptional students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching” …and cited Lila’s “immense talent and musical intuition beyond her years.”

Morris Arts Announces 2017 Scholarships Winners -- Graduating Seniors from Mountain Lakes and West Morris Mendham High Schools

Lila Dunn

Here, too, the panel was greatly impressed by the advanced skills of this young musician: her facility in difficult passagework, large vocal range, clear diction, accurate intonation, sensitive phrasing and expressive use of a naturally beautiful voice.

In this highly competitive year, two outstanding dancers, Kaitlyn Dal Bon and Briele MeLahn, both students at Morris Knolls High School, merited Honorable Mention. The judges were unanimous in their choices.

Each year Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program.

The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and the Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience.

Morris County high school seniors graduating in June 2017 who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school in New Jersey were eligible.Morrisarts logo

The Ehlers Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical.  She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions.  By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education.

The Coladarci Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997.  As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life.  The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her.

The winners will be introduced at the March 8 opening reception for Common Ground, the new exhibit in the Gallery at 14 Maple (3rd floor, 14 Maple Ave., Morristown). The free reception, scheduled from 6-8 p.m.,  is open to the public.

Morris Arts, located in Morristown, NJ, is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to building community through the arts. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, Morris Arts serves as a resource for Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, and support of the Morris Area community of artists and arts organizations.


The 2016 Scholarship winners are:

 

 

Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship:  Composer Zachary Catron (West Morris Mendham High School)

Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship: Visual artist Tyler Harker (West Morris Mendham High School)

 

Click HERE  to read about the Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship  winner,  composer Zachary Catron

Click HERE to read about the Eugenie Colardarci Arts Scholarship winner, visual artist Tyler Harker

Click HERE to read about the Honorable Mention, tuba/euphonium player TJ Graf

The 2015 Scholarship winners were:

Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship: Percussionist Reed Puleo (West Morris Mendham High School)

and

Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship: Ballet dancer, Tori Hey (West Morris Mendham High School)

(best) closeup of Reed Puleo (Ehlers) and Tori Hey (Coladarci) scholarship winners IMG_9116

Scholarship Winners Reed Puleo and Tori Hey with Tom Werder

2015 Scholarship winners: Reed Puleo (Ehlers) and Tori Hey (Coladarci); Reed and Tori with Morris Arts Executive Director, Tom Werder.

Click HERE to read the award speech and learn about the 2015 Ehlers Arts Scholarship winner Reed Puleo and his accomplishments.

Click HERE to read the award speech and learn about the 2015 Coladarci Arts Scholarship winner Tori Hey and her accomplishments.