Congratulations Winners!

54th Annual Scholarship Competition Results
For 54 years, the Music Foundation of Greater Naples has been providing an opportunity for local students to demonstrate their talent to a panel of qualified independent judges. The Competition is open to all students from 6th to 12 grades and winners are based on the merits of their performance. We are pleased to present the results for this year's competition.​
2025 Winners
Judging Category
Junior Division
Senior Division

Brass
Junior Category Winners
1st Place: Maximilliano James Izquierdo
2nd Place: Emma Podolak
Honorable Mention: Amber Kastner
Senior Category Winners
1st Place: Jocelyn Chalik
2nd Place: Fintan O'Keefe
3rd Place: Joseph Sanabria

Piano
Junior Category Winners
1st Place: Meiya Zhang
2nd Place: Maya Akmuradova
3rd Place: Maria Del Carmen Enad
Honorable Mention: Alexandra Akmuradova
Senior Category Winners
1st Place: Celine Ruthza Eldira
2nd Place: Jameson Moore

Percussion
Junior Category Winners
There were no competitors in this category this year.
Senior Category Winners
There were no competitors in this category this year.

Strings
Junior Category Winners
1st Place: Palesa Rose Stoneman
2nd Place: Adrian Jeremias
Hon. Mention: Nal Sakr
Senior Category Winners
1st Place: Katherine Anderson
2nd Place: Brayden McDonald
3rd Place: Edison Filner
Hon. Mention: Isaac Garatejo

Wood-winds
Junior Category Winners:
1st Place: Zaidan Projonoto
2nd Place: Whitney Swartz
3rd Place: Luke Alvarez
Senior Category Winners:
NOTE: Due to the high number of applicants in the Senior Woodwind category, prizes were awarded for Clarinet, Saxophone & Mixed Winds (Flute, Double Reeds).
Clarinet
1st Place: Lance Julian
2nd Place: Kevin Milord
3rd Place: Trevor Ball
Honorable Mention: Jackson Doria
Saxophones
1st Place: Aaron Perez
2nd Place: Landon Hicks
3rd Place: Emily Serrato
Mixed Winds
1st Place: Miranda Leone (Flute)
2nd Place: Maximus Bogert (Flute)
3rd Place: Randy Pilato (Oboe)
Honorable Mention: Josue Alarcon (Flute)

Vocals
Junior Category Winners
1st Place: Sydney Ernst
2nd Place: Felicity Hazel Fleming
Senior Category Winners
1st Place: Alessia Pellegrini
2nd Place: Rachel Kastner
3rd Place: Melanie Castillo
2025 Hammes Award Winner

TBD
To be decided at the Winners' Recital
On April 23, 2025
6 PM - The Bower Chapel
ABOUT THE HAMMES AWARD
Gordon and Judy Hammes, longtime supporters of the Music Foundation, endowed the Hammes award to encourage the recipient in the serious study of music. The Award favors consideration of candidates who intend to pursue a career in music or for whom music will be a serious avocation. Eligible candidates must be in the 12th Grade and have participated in the MFGN Scholarship Competition. We are grateful for Gordon and Judy's unwavering support throughout the years.
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Alex will be pursuing the study of the violin at the Eastman School of music in the Fall of 2024. Congratulations, Alex!
Watch the entire 2024 Winner's Recital!
