Local Seniors Win 2025 Brown Music Competition
Heritage Fund announces Columbus Signature Academy New Tech senior Santi De Luna and Columbus North senior Natalie Cantu Garcia as the winners of the 2025 Brown Music Competition hosted Saturday from Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Helen Haddad Hall.
De Luna, a student of instructor Samuel Salazar, won the Betty F. Brown Awards for Instrumental Excellence, performing “Tuba Concerto” by Bruce Broughton. Cantu Garcia, a student of Jenny Heichelbech, won the Anna Newell Brown Awards for Vocal Excellence, singing “Solveig’s Song” by Grieg and “Star Vicino.” Both students will receive a $3,500 scholarship award.
Twenty-three students participated in the competition. Other senior award winners were:
Instrumental
Rishabh Rajesh, $1,500
Vocal
- Benjamin Planalp, $1,500
- Kate Franklin, $750
Underclass award winners were:
Instrumental
- Vincia Li, $2,400
- Nino Akhalaya, $1,500
- Carrie Wang, $1,500
- Gabriel Boggs, $800
- Max Hall, $800
Vocal
- Ava Burbrink, $2,500
- Danniella Riley, $1,250
- Elizabeth Alderfer, $1,000
- Addy Newman, $750
- Rebekah Woodruff, $500
- Liliana Martinez, $500
Judges for the event were: Ms. Susan Chan, violist, New Century String Quartet and adjunct faculty, University of Indianapolis; Dr. Ray Kilburn, associate professor of music, piano, Ball State University; Ms. Lissa F. May, professor of music education, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University; Ms. Mary Ann Hart, professor emerita, voice, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University; Mr. Thomas Studebaker, lecturer of voice and co-director of opera, Central Michigan University; and Dr. Zachary Coates, lecturer of music, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.
The Betty F. Brown Awards for Instrumental Excellence was established by Mr. Brown in 1992 in memory of his wife, Betty. Mrs. Brown was a well-known and highly respected advocate and patron of the arts, both locally and statewide.
The Anna Newell Brown Awards for Vocal Excellence was established through the Heritage Fund in 1985 by Robert and Betty Brown to honor Mr. Brown’s mother, Anna Newell Brown. She was a distinguished vocalist and contributed greatly to the cultural life of the Bartholomew County Community.
Robert N. Brown was the longtime chairman of Home News Enterprises, The Republic’s parent company. He also served as chairman of the Heritage Fund Board from 1980 to 1983, during which the foundation awarded its first grant – a
$500 award for the Art in Public Places Program. Both competitions are administered annually by Heritage Fund.
For more information, contact Katy Bush, scholarship manager, at 812- 376-7772.