The Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development has announced a $100,000 gift from the Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization to endow scholarships for gifted female students in the Department’s Program in Film Scoring. NYU Steinhardt will award the first scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year.
“Traditionally, there is a paucity of female composers in Hollywood and mainstream film,” said Ron Sadoff, associate professor and director of NYU’s program in film scoring. “The NYU Sorel Scholarship for Women in Film Scoring will address this imbalance and is in keeping with Steinhardt’s commitment to actively promoting the work of talented young female composers.”
“We’re thrilled to announce this scholarship, which will provide essential financial support for young female film composers who represent the next generation of leadership in this important field,” said Lawrence Ferrara, professor and director of the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions.
“The Sorel Organization hopes to provide a heritage of greatness to each recipient,” said Judy Cope, executive director of the Sorel Organization. “Film scoring as an art form has the power to touch many lives. Encouragement is our patrons’ legacy.”
Claudette Sorel, who founded the charity in honor of her parents, was a child piano prodigy who graduated from the Juilliard School and became an internationally acclaimed concert pianist. She became a distinguished professor of piano at SUNY, Fredonia. The mission of the Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization is to keep musical excellence alive and to help stretch the boundaries for women in music.