Curtis Institute of Music Announces Daniel W. Dietrich II Young Alumni Fund Recipients

More than $75,000 in grant money has been administered to young Curtis graduates, to help them in the establishment of their careers or to fund an innovative project

The Daniel W. Dietrich II Young Alumni Fund, which is now in its third year, supports Curtis graduates with grants ranging between $1,000 and $10,000 — and aims to make the transition between student and professional life more manageable.

The grants may assist with general artistic or professional development — such as audition travel costs, marketing and promotional materials, addressing financial hardship, and instrument purchases. In addition, they can be used for specific projects — including community and nonprofit organizations founded by alumni, the commissioning of new works, and the production of new commercial films and audio recordings.

A total of $75,000 was given in grants this year, with each grantee submitting a proposal that was reviewed by an anonymous panel of Curtis alumni. Alongside their funding, grantees will also receive access to professional guidance and support in achieving the proposal’s goals.

The 2024 grantees are as follows:

Project Support

• Ted Babcock (Timpani and Percussion ’15)
• Merissa Beddows (Voice ’22)
• Stas Chernyshev (Clarinet ’14, ArtistYear ’17)
• Jazimina Creamer-MacNeil (Opera ’14)
• Gergana Haralampieva (Violin ’16)
• Maria Ioudenitch (Violin ’18)
• Abigail Kent (Harp ’17)
• Ayane Kozasa (Viola ’12, String Quartet ’16)
• Will Langlie-Miletich (Double Bass ’19)
• Sung Jin Lee (Viola ’16)
• Lun Li (Violin ’20)
• Andrew Moses (Composition ’20)
• Zachary Mowitz (Cello ’19)

Career Support

• Jack Bryant (Horn ’23)
• Dennis Chmelensky (Voice ’18, Opera ’19)
• Robert Conquer (Trombone ’23)
• Vartan Gabrielian (Voice ’17, Opera ’19)
• Mekhi Gladden (Oboe ’22)
• Roy Hage (Opera ’16)
• Maggie O’Leary (Bassoon ’19)
• Fuki Wang (Flute ’22)
• Tyler Zimmerman (Opera ’18)

"We are proud to support and empower young alumni as they move into the next phase of their artistic
journeys," said Shea Scruggs, Curtis’s director of institutional research/musician experience and chief enrollment officer.

"Curtis graduates are some of the most innovative and accomplished musicians in the world. Their leadership is an endless source of inspiration for the next generation of classical artists here at Curtis and beyond."

"We want to thank the alumni who served on the evaluation panel for their meticulous and dedicated work in selecting the grantees," Scruggs continued. "They devoted valuable time, expertise, and resources to Curtis, and this new initiative would not be possible without their contributions."

"I also want to express my immense gratitude to the Daniel W. Dietrich II Foundation for its transformative investment. With their support, countless future generations of Curtis graduates will be able to take more risks, overcome more obstacles, and progress more quickly toward their goals."