Honoring the life and work of L.J. Hancock (1952-2002), the L.J. Hancock scholarships benefit individual students with financial need who are interested in attending the Music for All Summer Symposium. This year, MFA awarded six L.J. Hancock Scholarships to deserving students who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to attend the Symposium.
One of the L.J. Hancock Scholarship recipients, Robert Welch, plans to turn his passion for music into a career. “The thought of doing what I love as a job is unreal and magical to me,” Robert says.
Robert recently graduated from Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis. For the last 10 years, he has been playing a variety of musical instruments, which include: violin, piano and organ. He has performed in concerts on all three instruments and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. At this year’s camp, Robert participated in the orchestra track where he was able to perform at the Thursday night concert with Uncommon Time, featuring Nick Kendall and Ranaan Meyer, members of Time for Three.
Robert plans to attend The University of Indianapolis this fall and study music. “Music is my life, and I plan to keep it that way,” he says. “I absolutely love to hear it, learn about it and play it. My camp experience not only nurtures these ideas, but it encouraged it more than ever in me as well.”
Other 2011 L.J. Hancock scholars included: Hunter Carter, Madisonville North Hopkins High School, KY; Shannon Graham, Columbus High School, NE; Kelly Krasuski, Liberty High School, MO; Kelsey Lake, Madisonville North Hopkins High School, KY; and Samantha Woolbright, Bloomington North High School, IN.
