ATTENTION: Effective April 18, 2010
applications will no longer be accepted for the Charlotte
Hoyt Bagnall Scholarship. The scholarship funds have been fully
expended. There are no plans to reactivate the scholarship in the
foreseeable future.
The Scholarship
In 1993 First Church established the Charlotte Hoyt Bagnall
scholarship to encourage and support young musicians to study pipe
organ and sacred music. It was undertaken as a way to honor
Charlotte Bagnall at the time of her retirement after 25 years as
our organist and as the assistant to our directors of music. During
that time she founded and directed The Choral Bells. Scholarship
funding came from monies contributed at the time of her retirement
and from contributions given in her memory at the time of her death
in 1994, a total of $16,000. With limited funding we knew that the
scholarship would have a limited life. However, with smart
investing by the First Church investment committee and three
benefit recitals we were able to grant awards to 32 young organists
with amounts ranging from $300 to $2500 for a total of over
$33,000. The final competition for the scholarship was held
this year on March 20, 2010 with 3 winners being selected. On
Sunday April 18 First Church of Christ held a ceremony to celebrate
the completion of Scholarship, a fifteen year mission of First
Church devoted to encouraging and supporting young musicians as
they nurture their talents for serving God through music. Over the
years, thirty two young musicians have been so supported and
encouraged. We are pleased to have been able to help them along
their way.