Dr Nelson W. Hill
SIBU: Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY, said it is offering three music scholarships after an audition here yesterday.
Its vice president for academic and student support Dr Nelson W. Hill saw the opportunity to provide scholarships to some of the students upon learning that International Christian Choral Christian Society has a camp here for high school students.
The three-day Youth Choir Camp here, which entered its fifth edition, ends today.
“From the wonderful group, we will be awarding three scholarships, namely first, second and third place prize to students after they auditioned for us.
“We will offer them scholarship and they can choose to attend in our school in USA.
“I believe we will have four vocalists and a pianist audition for the scholarship,” said Dr Hill, who has a doctorate in choral conducting from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
He further noted there was not many opportunities for students in East Malaysia who are interested in high quality choral music to study.
“And I felt with the recommendations of these choral directors, who really know the church music, we will be able to partner with them and provide a scholarship for students to attend our university.
“In that way, they can in turn come back and continue to increase the excellence in music in the churches,” he suggested.
Towards this end, he disclosed that they didn’t just offer music scholarships.
“We also offer scholarships for students in academic discipline. We have a very strong science and engineering programmes as well.”
Dr Hill, who would head home today, lamented that he would miss the concert put up by the students.
He praised them for their hard work and they performed well.
Dwelling on his background, he said he had travelled extensively.
He has taught in a university in Africa.
While there, he had the opportunity to set up the college choir.
“The African people are wonderful singers and I was able to work and learn from them.”
Dr Hill also revealed that he had travelled to China.
“Our school is trying to help Chinese learn different methods of teaching. It is not all memorization or teacher-student kind of the thing – telling them what to do.
“It is more collaborative in the learning process for students and teachers together,” Dr Hill said.
He mentioned that Roberts Wesleyan College has more than 1,800 students
and music is one of its strong programmes.
The camp jointly organised by International Christian Chorale Conductor Society (ICCCS) and Kenaniah Chorale Association (KCA), attracted 523 participants from Sarawak and Johor.