"There was so much for me to learn just by going through the audition process, and the judges were an invaluable resources for feedback and professional development. I am fortunate and very proud to say that music is my entire life. In addition to finishing my musical studies at California State University Fullerton, I am currently on staff as the accompanist for Sierra Vista High School, my Alma Mater! Go Dons! I have the privilege of being the Organist/Pianist at Our Saviours Lutheran Church, and I have a developing piano studio based in Orange County."

Kevin Phan

Collaborative Piano

"I learned for the first time to polish and perfect a musical piece to the point it felt totally natural to me. I worked so diligently to match what I heard in the original recording of the piece I had played. My advice is to invest as many daily hours into preparation as possible. The preparation process took time out of my daily routines to accomplish. Music is EXTREMELY relevant in my life as it is what I study along side its educational aspect. It is what drives my current and future career paths in performance and education."

Rafael Tapia

Music Education

"I would advise to future scholarship winners to inform yourself on all the guidelines and make sure you are following them. Also, to read up on what the scholarship is really about and how it started, because the scholarship was created with a lot of love for the community and music.

Also, practice, practice, practice, because your art will only get better with practice!"

Vivian Felix

Communication Disorders

"I learned that it is always a good idea to go out one’s comfort zone to achieve a goal. Before the audition, I had not performed solo in front of an audience in many years so I was very nervous. However, I decided to just apply for the scholarship because I enjoyed playing music and I knew that even if I were to not receive the scholarship, I could be proud of myself for simply trying. I was extremely grateful to receive the support of my orchestra teacher and my peers throughout the process."

Michelle Vu

Physiological Sciences

"Going through the process of learning a solo and auditioning for MDFMF was a very positive experience. The audition was really welcoming and despite being nervous, I was able to feel comfortable enough to performing my solo. I also learned that practice goes a long way, and being able to see how much I improved on my solo over time was really interesting."

Sharon Stone

Chemistry