Karleigh MacMillan
Instruments you play/voice: Voice (10 yrs.), Guitar (4 yrs.), Ukulele (2 yrs.), and Piano (2 yrs.).
Musical Ensemble(s) you have participated in and years of participation: Chorus every year it was available starting in the 3rd grade, Maple Avenue Select Chorus (7th, 8th grade), Concert Choir (9th & 12th grade), Mixed Chorus (10th grade), Choraliers (11th & 12th grade), All County Chorus (4 years).
Musical Awards/Recognition you have received: Outstanding rating on NYSSMA for five consecutive years, superior rating at Disney music in the parks with Choraliers in 2019.
NYSMMA Participation/Level Achieved: Level 6.
College you will be attending: The College of St. Rose with an intended major of Music Education - Voice.
Future Career Plans/Hopes: I’d like to be a High School Music Teacher.
How does this scholarship help you in the future: It will help towards my training and education so I can make a difference in young people’s lives the way my teachers made a difference in mine.
Advice for younger musicians in the district (elementary/middle school students): Try everything because you never know what you might like. I don’t come from a musical family, but my mom always supported me and encouraged me to try as many different formats as I wanted to. So sing, play any instruments you want, and make music!
Fun Fact: I collect orchids, I currently have 14 in all different colors and flower types.
Abigail Rodriguez
Instruments you play/voice: I play the piano (9 yrs.), clarinet (7 yrs.), saxophone (3 yrs.), and flute (1 yr.)
Musical Ensemble(s) you have participated in and years of participation: I have participated in All-State, Area All-State, Suburban Council, Skidmore College concert band, Ballston Spa community band, and at the Saratoga High School symphonic band and jazz band.
Musical Awards/Recognition you have received: I received the Charles McCrossan music scholarship to promote lifelong learning. Additionally, I was Co-President of the Tri-M music honors society.
NYSMMA Participation/Level Achieved: Level 6 NYSSMA solo on bass clarinet and piano.
College you will be attending: SUNY Potsdam/Crane School of Music with an intended major of Music Education.
Future Career Plans/Hopes: I hope to one day be a woodwind specialist or get my Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) and become a wind ensemble conductor at a college.
How does this scholarship help you in the future: This scholarship will help me achieve my goals to become a music teacher and to teach others to love music like I do.
Advice for younger musicians in the district (elementary/middle school students): My advice to any younger musicians is keep practicing and don’t be afraid to get help if you are struggling. Also. take private lessons; they are awesome.
Fun Fact: I own six clarinets: 1 Eb soprano, 2Bb sopranos, 1 Eb alto, and 2 Bb bass clarinets.
Clayton Trumbull
Instruments you play/voice: Viola (8 yrs.), Violin (2 yrs.) and Bass (10 mos.).
Musical Ensemble(s) you have participated in and years of participation: SSHS-Chamber (2017-2020) and Concert Orchestra (principal violist, 2016-2017, 2019-2020), Fiddle Club (2016-2020) and string quartet (2019-2020). Saratoga Youth Symphony (principal violist, 2017-2020), SUNY Albany Symphony Orchestra (2019-2020), Skidmore Symphony Orchestra (2020), NYSSMA All-State Symphony Orchestra (2018) and String Orchestra (2019), All-County (principal violist, 2017-2020), Suburban Council (2018, 2020), and Area All-State (2017, 2018).
Musical Awards/Recognition you have received: SWCMEA Scholarship (2019) and President of Tri-M Music Honors Society (2019-2020).
NYSMMA Participation/Level Achieved: Attended NYSSMA All-State both years (Level 6).
College you will be attending: Eastman School of Music with the intended major of Music Composition.
Future Career Plans/Hopes: I want to be able to have my concert music performed and appreciated, while also being able to teach composition and viola, ideally through a professorship.
How does this scholarship help you in the future: This scholarship gives me a resource that can alleviate my future financial strain; seeking out an education in music is extremely expensive, and my final education goal would be to pursue a Ph.D., so having this support is a relief that I am thankful to have!
Advice for younger musicians in the district (elementary/middle school students): If you believe that you can do something, there is always a way. Never be afraid to reach out and ask for help, and always dedicate yourself to whatever makes you fulfilled even if your goals seem impossible to others. Something like learning an instrument may seem trivial right now, but it could be what you are passionate about in the future (that's what happened to me)!
Fun Fact: I just started learning bluegrass banjo!