Erica Calhoun, a first-year student, recently won a $1,000 scholarship from The Atlanta Steinway Society. Established in 1980, the organization hosts special musical events throughout the year and affords young pianists the opportunity to further their education by awarding scholarships.
Calhoun began piano lessons at the age of nine. Having trained under two Wesleyan alumnae, Susan McDuffie '53 and Dr. Chenny Gan '02, Calhoun knew Wesleyan was the perfect fit to continue her education in music.
"Erica is a talented first-year music major with a lot of potential to succeed. I know the next few years at Wesleyan will both challenge and enrich her as she develops into a confident and well-rounded musician," said Assistant Professor of Piano Dr. Chenny Gan.
Calhoun’s accomplishments include performing in the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival from 2011-2016, scoring superior in piano solos and hymns each year. Calhoun also participated in the Georgia Music Teachers Association Pre-college Piano Competitions from 2014-2016 where she performed at the local and regional levels. She was a 2016 runner-up in the Joseph Maerz Scholarship Competition sponsored by the Morning Music Club of Macon.
"I want to continue my education in piano and eventually graduate with a bachelor's degree in piano performance so that I can start down the path of becoming a piano teacher," said Calhoun.
As part of her scholarship, Calhoun will perform at the Kellett Chapel at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta on September 23rd at 4PM.