Tosco Music is pleased to announce this year's winners!

Select the grey dots above to view additional photos.

Every year, Tosco Music provides two youth and one adult scholarship to The Swannanoa Gathering, an outstanding series of summer music camps at Warren Wilson College with nationally renowned instructors and an uncommonly beautiful and community-oriented environment for musicians of all ages, experience and genres to hone their craft. Auditions took place on Sunday, February 18, 2018. 

An additional scholarship was awarded to Community School of the Arts' summer music camps. 

Special thanks to all Tosco Music Members who support this meaningful opportunity for Charlotte’s emerging talents!

2018 Tosco Music Youth Scholarship winners: Charlotte O’Boyle & Eli Yacinthe  (pictured with audition judges Julie Dean, left, and Tosco Music Board Member Phyllis Fulton, right). Ashley Owens at age 15 was this year's runner up and will be attending the Swannanoa Gathering this July. Charlotte O'Boyle has had to defer after she was invited to play lead guitar in Actor's Theater of Charlotte's production of Lizzie (bravo Charlotte!)

Second photo is of Ashley Owens taken by Nathan Villaume of MyCamera Charlotte at the October 2017 Tosco Music Open Mic.

Third photo is of Katie Hayes, winner of this year's Community School of the Arts scholarship winner (photo provided by Alan Hayes). This upcoming 9th grader from Charlotte Christian School studies with Leslie Niessner. Says one of the CSA judges, "she came in and played a clarinet solo, and we thought she was a very serious music student, very prepared and confident, with a beautiful tone in all the clarinet ranges. She’s quite versatile and plays bass clarinet and tenor saxophone. We all thought that she is a real “comer” and that the scholarship would be a real incentive and encouragement for her future musical growth!" Congratulations Katie!

Next is the 2018 Tosco Music Adult Scholarship winner: Nathan Davis (pictured with judges Dewitt Crosby, left, and Tosco Music Board Chair Ivi Bilich, right)

Tosco Music coordinates music scholarship applications and auditions for The Swannanoa Gathering scholarships with Charlotte Folk Society who also provides several scholarships to The Swannanoa Gathering. Additional photos show the entire group of 2018 Swannanoa Gathering Scholarship winners:

All Youth Winners (left to right): Olivia Lindquist, Charlotte O’Boyle, Abbey Floyd, Eli Yacinthe, Jessica Lang, Aron Stornialou and Asa Nelson

All Adult Winners (left to right): Suzanne Williams, Nathan C. Davis III, Amy Nelson and Tosco Music volunteer Diana Wade (also featured in the final photo)

 All photos by Daniel Coston except otherwise noted. 

We're delighted for all of this year's winners, and look forward to hearing more of their talent over the coming year!