Scholarship Competition
Scholarship Information
Since 1962, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston has awarded over $130,000 in scholarships. This year, we will have two scholarships available.
The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston Scholarship is open to both undergraduate and graduate students majoring in Vocal Performance. The amount awarded is up to $1,000, divided into two payments made in September of 2026 and January of 2027.
The Mary Metz, M.B.E. Memorial Scholarship will be a $500 one-time payment to a student’s university and is deposited to the student’s account at the beginning of the fall 2026 semester. This scholarship is limited to a currently enrolled graduate student in Vocal Performance who has at least one semester remaining in the fall of 2026.
Application submissions are accepted from January 5, 2026, with a final deadline of March 10, 2026.
All applicants must submit the provided application form, as well as all other required materials by the deadline. Late or incomplete applications and/or ineligible candidates will not be considered. The recipient(s) will be notified by the end of April 2026.
All applicants will receive written notice of the results.
Application Form
2026 HGNS Scholarship Application Form
Contact
Lynn Hinrichs
Email: scholarships@gilbertandsullivan.org
Requirements
- Two (2) Letters of recommendation:
- Digital submission of letters of recommendation with at least one from a teacher of voice on the faculty of your college or university.
- Must be emailed directly from the teacher with your name in subject line.
- OFFICIAL transcript
- Email official record showing a 3.0 cumulative grade point average or above is required.
- Personal letter emailed to the Society Scholarship Committee
- Career goals and aspirations
- What separates you from other candidates?
- Resume of your vocal experience,
- Key roles and performances
- Awards
- Performance Biography
- Suitable for printing in Gilbert & Sullivan playbill.
- One hundred words or fewer.
- Performance recording
- Website link: YouTube or personal website
- Choose a song that shows off your voice – not one that you think the committee will want to hear.
- Headshot
- JPEG format, up to 5MB
Previous Scholarship Recipients
2025
Fiona Curley
Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston Scholarship – 1st Place
Fiona is the 2025 first place recipient of The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston Scholarship. Fiona is a classical soprano from Central Oregon currently pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance at University of Houston-Moores School of Music. Recent performances are Suor Angelica (Alms Sister 1), L’incornoazione di Poppea (Damigella), The Merry Widow (Jou-Jou). She is a five-time recipient of the Sunriver Music Festival Young Artists Scholarship and has placed at district and regional levels of the high school NATS classical competition. Fiona also placed in the semifinals at the 2023 Classical Singer competition in the high school division and she will be attending the Taos Opera Institute during the summer of 2025.
Avery Ditta
Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston Scholarship – 2nd Place
Avery is the 2025 second place recipient of The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston Scholarship. Avery is a transfer B.M. Vocal Performance major (‘27) at the University of Houston studying with Ms. Cynthia Clayton. She has adored Gilbert and Sullivan operettas since playing Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance in eighth grade and is beyond excited to be playing the role of Phyllis in Iolanthe with us this summer. She is grateful for the five years of training and performance opportunities she received at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) Education and Pre-Professional Program, Kristin Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp, and her undergraduate opportunities. Select favorite roles include Sarah (Guys & Dolls), Maria (The Sound of Music), Roxie (Chicago), and Una Conversa (Suor Angelica).
Giselle Bautista
The Mary Metz, M.B.E. Scholarship
Giselle is the inaugural recipient of The Mary Metz, M.B.E. Scholarship. Giselle is a mezzo-soprano from Houston, Texas. Giselle received her Bachelor of Music from Baylor University and is pursuing her Master of Music at the University of Houston. Giselle has performed many opera roles including Meg in Little Women, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, La Maestra delle Novizie in Suor Angelica, and the title role in zarzuela Luisa Fernanda. Giselle performed as Kate in our 2023 production of The Pirates of Penzance. This summer, Giselle will be a studio artist with Opera Neo in San Diego, CA.
| 1962 | Diane Barker | Piano | University of Houston |
| 1963 | Robert Bender | Voice | University of Houston |
| 1966 | Walter White | Violin | Texas Southern University |
| 1969 | Leah Carnagey | Voice | Houston Baptist University |
| Anthony Foster | Voice | University of St Thomas | |
| 1976 | Charles Rhinehardt | French Horn | Texas Southern University |
| 1978 | Dawn Monachino | Voice | Houston Baptist University |
| 1979 | Robynne Redmon | Voice | University of Houston |
| 1980 | Janet Carol Gale | Voice | University of Houston |
| 1981 | April Pels | Voice | University of Houston |
| 1982 | Jeanette Thompson | Voice | Rice University |
| Glen Tatum | Production Internship | Spring Branch HS | |
| 1983 | Hazel Ates | Voice | University of St Thomas |
| Patti M Seeman | Production Internship | University of St Thomas | |
| 1984 | Harrison Moore III | Voice | Houston Baptist University |
| James Martin III | Production Internship | Rice University | |
| 1985 | Lee H Melvin | Voice | Houston Baptist University |
| James Martin III | Production Internship | Rice University | |
| 1986 | Kim Tobola | Voice | Rice University |
| Brenda Eddins | Voice | Houston Baptist University | |
| Kendall Seuser | Production Internship | Houston Baptist University | |
| 1987 | Ho-Yin Chang | Voice | University of Houston |
| Carol Herman | Production Internship | Sam Houston University | |
| 1988 | Rebecca Galfein | Voice | Rice University |
| Richard Teaster | Voice | Rice University | |
| Carol Herman | Production Internship | Sam Houston University | |
| 1989 | Peter Schmidt | Voice | University of Houston |
| Darla Barrow | Voice | University of Houston | |
| Leslie McCain | Production Internship | Lamar High School | |
| 1990 | Jason Scarcella | Voice | Baylor University |
| Barbara Divis | Voice | University of Houston | |
| Leslie McCain | Production Internship | Texas Tech University | |
| 1991 | Kristin Baker | Voice | Rice University |
| Rusty Ross | Production Internship | Kinkaid School | |
| 1992 | Melanie Schmutz | Voice | Rice University |
| Shelly Bowman | Merrills Lewis Voice | Baylor University | |
| Justin Huston | Production Internship | Episcopal High School | |
| 1993 | Eric Maxwell Rye | Voice | Houston Baptist University |
| Kristie Johnson | Merrills Lewis Voice | Houston Baptist University | |
| Celeste Martino | Voice | Houston Baptist University | |
| 1994 | Vanessa Van Valen | Voice | Rice University |
| Katha Coker | Merrills Lewis Voice | Houston Baptist University | |
| Marie Catrett | Production Internship | Bellaire High School | |
| 1995 | Beth Marie Gooley | Voice | Baylor University |
| Deric Rosenblatt | Merrills Lewis Voice | Rice University | |
| J. Michael Durst | Production Internship | North Texas State University | |
| 1996 | Kimberly Gratland | Voice | Rice University |
| Jason Scarcella | Merrills Lewis Voice | Rice University | |
| J. Michael Durst | Production Internship | North Texas State University | |
| 1997 | Stephanie Linney | Voice | University of Houston |
| A. Jordan Wright | Production Internship | St. John’s School | |
| 1998 | Corey J Trahan | Voice | University of Houston |
| A. Jordan Wright | Production Internship | Boston University | |
| 1999 | Corey J Trahan | Voice | University of Houston |
| Joseph Perniciaro | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2000 | Laura Black | Voice | Louisiana State University |
| Randa Baba | Merrills Lewis Voice | ||
| Kathleen Reeves | Production Internship | Baylor University | |
| 2001 | Stacey Franklin | Voice | Baylor University |
| Kathryn G Lanning | Production Internship | University of St Thomas | |
| Sara R Elsen | Kiwanis Scholarship | Cypress Falls High School | |
| Matthew Parker | Kiwanis Award | Houston Baptist University | |
| 2002 | Stacey Franklin | Voice 1 | Baylor University |
| Melissa Raz | Merrills Lewis Voice | Rice University | |
| Stacey Frankle | Production Internship | Rice | |
| 2003 | Theresa Bowser | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Elizabeth Good | Linder Fund | Rice | |
| Stacey Frankle | Production Internship | Rice | |
| 2004 | Sasha Cooke | Voice 1 | Rice |
| Tristan Rogers Ware | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Bekah Harrie | Production Internship | Sam Houston State University | |
| 2005 | Carrie Beth Barnett | Voice 1 | Columbia State University |
| Sasha Cooke | Voice 2 | Rice University | |
| Emily Davis | Production Internship | UT San Antonio | |
| 2006 | Christina Stroud | Voice 1 | Sam Houston State University |
| Rebecca Henry | Merrills Lewis Voice | Rice University | |
| Lauren Glass | Production Internship | Stephen F Austin University | |
| 2007 | Jennifer Johnson | Voice 1 | Rice University |
| Joseph Mikolej | Merrills Lewis Voice | Rice University | |
| Casey Oppliger | Production Internship | University of North Texas | |
| 2008 | Rebecca Weinmann | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Raul Dominguez | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Julie Rafael | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2009 | Emily Heller | Voice 1 | Sam Houston State University |
| Rebekah Howell | Voice 2 | Baylor University | |
| Rebecca Thompson | Voice 3 | HSPVA/SMU | |
| Rachel Dooley | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2010 | Eric Murillo | Voice 1 | University of St Thomas |
| Laramie Gilbert | Voice 2 | Lamar University | |
| Rachel Dooley | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2011 | Maren Weinberger | Voice 1 | Oklahoma City University |
| Elizabeth Evans | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Tegan Dunnican | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2012 | Nicole Woodward | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Amanda Sauceda | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Meg Edyveen | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2013 | Maxwell Porterfield | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Katrina Van Maanen | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Amanda Sauceda | Linder Fund | University of Houston | |
| Stephanie Britton | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2014 | Maxwell Porterfield | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Aaron Casey | Voice 2 | University of Houston/The New School | |
| Katherine Fester | Production Internship | UNC School of the Arts | |
| 2015 | Sydney Anderson | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Bille Bruley | Voice 2 | Indiana University | |
| Yunxuan Zhu | Voice 3 | Houston Community College | |
| Katherine Fester | Production Internship | UNC School of the Arts | |
| 2016 | Taryn Surratt | Voice 1 | Stephen F Austin University |
| Tabitha Bounds | Production Internship | University of Houston | |
| 2017 | Georgia Belmont | Voice 1 | Rice |
| Taryn Surratt | Voice 2 | Stephen F Austin University | |
| Allison Jones | Voice 3 | HSPVA/Westminster | |
| Yunxuan Zhu | Linder Fund | University of Houston | |
| Shelby Semands | Production Internship | Sam Houston State University | |
| Hanna Ibrahim | Marketing Intern | University of Houston | |
| 2018 | Kanisha Feliciano | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Mary Lieberman | Voice 2 | LSU | |
| Taylor Surratt | Linder Fund | Stephen F Austin University/career | |
| Shelby Semands | Production Internship | Sam Houston State University | |
| 2019 | Mary Lieberman | Linder Fund | LSU |
| Emma Yehle | Production Internship | Syracuse University | |
| 2020 – No Award | |||
| 2021 | Blake Denson | Career Grant 1 | |
| Guanbo Su | Career Grant 2 | ||
| Joshua Hughes | Career Grant 3 | ||
| Leah Brzyski | Career Grant 4 | ||
| 2022 | Bailey Bowers | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Maximillian Macias | Voice 2 | Baylor University | |
| Shanley Horvitz | Career grant 1 | ||
| Sarah Neal | Career grant 2 | ||
| Jazmine Olwalia | Career grant 3 | ||
| Amia Langer | Career grant 4 | ||
| 2023 | Angie Tovar | Voice 1 | University of Houston |
| Valeriae Bautista | Voice 2 | University of Houston | |
| Lauren Suchy | Linder Find final award | University of Houston | |
| Laura Corinda Sanders | Career Grant | Houston | |
| Katherine Dobbs | Career Grant | Wisconsin | |
| Lily Guerro | Career Grant | Austin TX | |
| 2024 | Kellan Dunlap | Merrils Lewis (final) | Rice University |
| Abigail Bahng | HG&S scholarship | University of North Texas | |
| 2025 | Fiona Curley | HG&S scholarship-first | University of Houston |
| Avery Ditta | HG&S scholarship-second | University of Houston | |
| Giselle Bautista | Metz scholarship- inaugural | University of Houston |