Press Release re 2022 Scholarship Winners

PRESS RELEASE

Performing Arts Scholarships Awarded

Elgin, IL, May 19, 2022 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts proudly announces the recipients of its scholarships for the 2022-23 school year. These awards benefit post-secondary students from Chicago’s western suburbs who have demonstrated a passion for performance and declared a major in the performing arts.  This year’s winners include Harry Graham, Claudia Andrews and Devin Flores, all from St. Charles, Collin Vanderkarr of South Elgin, Danica Tuohy of Yorkville and Danika Dortch from Lindenhurst.

Danika Dortch is a 2021 graduate from Lakes Community High School and second-time scholarship recipient. She is pursuing a double major in French Horn Performance and the Written Arts at Bard College Conservatory of Music in New York. There she is participating in a brass trio, woodwind quintet, Symphony Orchestra and the College Community Orchestra She has played with the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, Wind Quintet and Brass Quintet. Danika also gives lessons to elementary and middle school students. Her dream is to play with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Harry Graham is a 2022 graduate of St. Charles East High School where he performed in its Chamber and Concert Orchestras. Harry started playing piano at age five, switched to viola at eight, and at age 14 he won his first concerto competition He has been performing as a violist with the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2017 as well as its Maud Powell String Quartet.

Harry was the 2021 recipient of the Robert Hanson Award and has also studied at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. This fall he will study viola performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.

Claudia Andrews will pursue a double major in music and biology at North Central College in Naperville. She has won numerous awards playing French Horn in the West Suburban Home School Band. She also plays in the WSHS Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Band and sings in the Vocal Ensemble. Claudia has also performed with the Judson University Civic Orchestra, Naperville Winds and Fox Valley Concert Band

Devin Flores has participated in more than fifty plays and musicals in multiple capacities: acting, directing, lighting design, set construction and as resident videographer at Marquee Youth Stage. A graduate of St. Charles East High School, he has more recently been studying at Elgin Community College.  Devin will pursue a Film and Television Arts major with a Stage Combat minor at Columbia College Chicago.

Danica Tuohy plays the French Horn and will major in Music Performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She is a 2022 graduate of Yorkville High School where she played with The Yorkville HS Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band and Marching Band. Danica has also performed with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and its Woodwind Quintet and Classical Orchestral Repertory Ensemble.

Collin Vanderkarr is a 2022 graduate of South Elgin High School where he participated in four years of marching band and received the Rhett P. Lundy drumline award for leadership and servantry. In addition to playing percussion, he also doubles on baritone saxophone. Outside of school he plays in multiple jazz combos.  Collin plans to major in Music Education at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2018. Dennis Taylor, an Elgin resident for more than 20 year, served as a dancer, choreographer, costumer, makeup artist, set dresser and wig designer for dozens of suburban theaters for more than 50 years. Donations to the Scholarship Foundation in his memory can be made on its Facebook page or at Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation Website.

Press Release re 2022 Scholarship Application Deadline

Performing Arts Scholarship Application Deadline

Elgin, IL, January 20, 2022 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts will be awarding college scholarships for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for submitting application materials is April 1, 2022. Interviews will be conducted by invitation and appointment only on April 9, 2022, via Zoom. Please be sure to save this date.

Awards are available to students of voice, instrument, theatre, and dance residing in Chicago’s western suburbs. Applicants may be post-secondary, undergraduate or graduate students who are majoring in the performing arts and who demonstrate a passion for performance. 29 scholarships ranging from $500 to $1000 have been awarded in the past four years

Candidates can complete a scholarship application at dennistaylorsf.org. They can also request an application form from [email protected] or by calling 847/697-4005. Applicants must prepare a video audition which can be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with the link emailed to the same email address.

Dennis Taylor served as a dancer, choreographer, costumer, makeup artist, set dresser and wig designer at dozens of suburban theaters and schools for more than five decades.

Press Release re 2021 Scholarship Winners

Performing Arts Scholarships Awarded

Elgin, IL, May 12, 2021 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts proudly announces the recipients of its scholarship awards for the 2021-22 school year. These scholarships benefit post-secondary students from Chicago’s western suburbs who have demonstrated a passion for performance and declared a major in the performing arts. This year’s winners include Danika Dortch from Lindenhurst, Chloe LaBine of Mokena, Olivia Lesniewski from South Elgin and Ava Rittgers of Yorkville.

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Press Release re 2021 Scholarship Application Deadline

Performing Arts Scholarship Application Deadline Daily Herald Article

Elgin, IL, February 1, 2021 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts will be awarding college scholarships for the 2021-22 school year. The deadline for submitting application materials is April 2, 2021. Interviews will be conducted by invitation and appointment only on April 10, 2021 via Zoom.

Awards are available to students of voice, instrument, theatre and dance residing in Chicago’s western suburbs. Applicants may be post-secondary, undergraduate or graduate students who are majoring in the performing arts and who demonstrate a passion for performance. Ten scholarships were awarded for the current school year.

Candidates can complete a scholarship application at dennistaylorsf.org. They can also request an application form from [email protected] or by calling 847/697-4005. Applicants must prepare a video audition which should be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo and the link emailed to the same email address.

Dennis Taylor served as a dancer, choreographer, costumer, makeup artist, set dresser and wig designer at dozens of suburban theaters for more than five decades. The scholarship fund in his memory has awarded 25 scholarships over the past three years.

To Complete A Scholarship Application Click Here

Press Release re 2020 Scholarship Winners

Performing Arts Scholarships  Awarded (Link to Article)

St. Charles, IL, June 15, 2020 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts proudly announces the recipients of its scholarship awards for the 2020-21 school year. These  scholarships benefit post-secondary students from Chicago’s western suburbs who have declared a major in the performing arts and demonstrated a passion for performance.  This year’s winners include Elaysa Emmerich, Tim Hommowun, Maggie Kinney and Mary Emma Zimmerman from St. Charles, Bailey Cates from Elburn, Marteena Mendel-Duckins from Elgin, Elizabeth Sullivan from Lake in the Hills, Annabelle Mique from Streamwood, Michele Gurrieri from Schaumburg, and Parker Morley of Lombard.

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Letter re 2019 Scholarship Winners

Dear donors:

I want to thank you for your support and provide you with an update on our recent activities. Over Memorial Day weekend we produced a fundraiser at the Elgin Art Showcase—three different shows in one busy weekend. Between ticket, beverage and memorabilia sales, raffles, and your generous contributions, we raised over $4800.00 for the scholarship fund in Dennie’s name!

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Press Release re 2018 Scholarship Winners

Performing Arts Scholarships  Awarded

St. Charles, IL, May 3, 2018 – The Dennis Taylor Scholarship Foundation for the Performing Arts proudly announces the recipients of its scholarship grants for the 2018-19 school year. These initial scholarships are for the benefit of post-secondary students residing in the western suburbs of Chicago who have declared a major in the performing arts and demonstrated a passion for performance.  Awards are being given to Elyse Chapski of Geneva, Andrew Hunter and Natalie Sweeney of Batavia, Payton Kaye of Schaumburg, and Daniel Keller of Aurora.

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