Scholarship Program

We thank those who support the Asheville Community Band monetarily. Because of your generosity, we are able to award scholarships to young talented musicians who are pursuing a degree in music education. Your donations help ensure the continuance of concert band music not only within our group but for young musicians in Western North Carolina.
In honor of the ACB founding director, the Patricia L. Garren Scholarship was first awarded in 1997. Shortly after, the band added another annual scholarship in memory of Bassoonist and charter member Sam Fox. This year we awarded a one-time scholarship in honor of R. Paul Barber. These scholarships make it a little easier for students majoring in music education to manage the rising costs of tuition.
Before we present the scholarship recipients, please read about the people they are named for:

Patricia L. Garren:

Patricia is a clarinet player who became a highly successful band director during a time when there were few women in the job.
She was the band director for Asheville Junior High for 30 years, and eventually became an Honorary Life Member of the NC Music Educators Association. She was president of Women Band Directors International from 1990 to 1992, and this year was awarded the WBDI Silver Rose. She was also awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Laureate award in 1991. She has recently been elected to the NC Bandmasters Hall of Fame, but most important to those of us here today is that she founded the Asheville Community Band in 1979 and conducted it for 17 years.
When she retired from the ACB in 1996, we started the Patricia L. Garren Instrumental Music Scholarship.

Sam Fox:

Sam was a bassoonist who was a charter member of the ACB and the NC Symphony. He was the band director at Lee Edwards High School (which is now AHS).
After WWII, he led the American Legion Band in Asheville and was choir director of the First Presbyterian Church. He was also a mentor to countless band students and young band directors.
He was totally faithful to the ACB, and even in his 80’s would drive from Virginia for rehearsals being one of the first to arrive always with a happy and caring greeting for everyone.

R. Paul Barber:

Paul was a University of Michigan grad in 1966 with a distinguished career. He performed with the Detroit Symphony as a trombone soloist when he was a high school senior. He started the Farmington Community Band in 1966 which grew from 13 players to 85 today. He opened the Harrison High School music program in 1971 where it grew into an award winning program for hundreds of students. In 1981, he became the Coordinator of Music and in 2000, the Director of Fine Arts, to include music, art, theater, and dance. This arts program was recipient of many state and national awards including the distinguished Kennedy Center for the Arts Award in 2003.
Paul was an officer of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association through his 37 years of teaching, and conducted four tours of Musical Youth International to Korea, Japan, Australia and the British Isles.
In July of 2003, he retired to Flat Rock. He joined the Brevard Community Band the next week, and then the Hendersonville and Asheville Community Bands in September. He went on to join the Nouve Passe Jazz Orchestra, The Pyramid Brass Quintet, and in 2004 became the conductor of the Brevard Community Band, and conductor of the Hendersonville Community Band in 2005. He also performed with the Brevard Philharmonic.
Paul was also a photographer and avid traveler; a devoted Dad to Randy and Julie who are both musicians, and a loving husband and partner to Fern, who plays clarinet with us today.

2008 SPRING CONCERT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

	Megan Ledford, Flute: Megan received the Sam Fox Music Education Scholarship...Appalachian State. Megan, a graduate of West Henderson High School, plays flute and is a Sophomore at Appalachian State University in Boone. She won the Patricia L. Garren Scholarship last year.
	Fletcher Peacock, Trombone: Fletcher received the Paul Barber Music Education Scholarship...A Senior at Asheville High School, Fletcher has auditioned at Northwestern and the University of Alabama.
	Stephen Mason, Euphonium: Stephen received the Patricia L. Garren Music Education Scholarship...He is a student at Mars Hill College, and also won the Patricia L. Garren Scholarship in 2006 for Tuba.

2007 SPRING CONCERT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

	Megan Ledford, Flute: Megan received the Patricia L. Garren Music Education Scholarship...Appalachian State. Ledford, a graduate of West Henderson High School, plays flute and is a freshman at Appalachian State University in Boone.
	Kelly Ballard, Tenor Sax: Kelly received the Sam Fox Scholarship...WCU. A senior at Asheville High School, Ballard plays tenor saxophone and has been accepted into the music program at Western Carolina University.
	Tiffany Jean Bishop, Flute: Tiffany received the R. Paul Barber Scholarship...Furman University. Bishop, of East Henderson High School has been accepted into the music program of Furman University.
2006 SPRING CONCERT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS (photos not available)
	Stephen Mason,Tuba: Stephen received the Patricia Garren Scholarship...Mars Hill.
	Sonya Guthrie, French Horn: Sonya received the Sam Fox Scholarship...Mars Hill.
2005 SPRING CONCERT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS (photos not available)
	Scott Grether, Tuba: Scott received the Sam Fox Scholarship...UNCG.
	Thad Caldwell, Trombone: Thad received the Patricia L. Garren Scholarship...WCU.

2004 SPRING CONCERT SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
	Veronica Grant, Flute: Veronica received the Patricia L. Garren Music Education Scholarship. She is a graduating senior at Asheville High School.
	Kathryn (Kate) Davis, Oboe: Kate received the Sam Fox Music Education Scholarship. She is a graduating senior at Asheville High School. She will be attending Western Carolina University this fall.
	Christina Wallace, French Horn: Christina received the Asheville Community Band Music Education Scholarship. Christina is finishing her first year at Western Carolina University.

Patricia L. Garren:

Sam Fox:

R. Paul Barber:

Webmaster: Mike McDonald