Sabian - Because Sound Matters

"THE SABIAN/PASIC SCHOLARSHIP"
(A History)

By Ian Turnbull

The SABIAN/PASIC Scholarship was initiated in 1990 by Robert Zildjian, Chairman of the Board, SABIAN Ltd., after a suggestion was made by Ian Turnbull during a conversation at a Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). The purpose of the scholarship is, on an annual basis, to provide funding to enable a Canadian Percussion Student to attend a PASIC.

The Scholarship consists of a One Year Membership in the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), One PASIC Registration, One "Hall of Fame" Banquet ticket, Four Nights Accommodation at the Convention Hotel and, transportation to the event location. Originally, the amount of the scholarship was not to exceed One Thousand Dollars (Cdn), however, in 2000, this was increased to Fifteen Hundred Dollars. The Scholarship was limited to a Canadian Music Student who was, a Full-time Grade 12 High School Student or, was an Undergraduate University Student (Percussion Major), the annual deadline for applications is 1^st May.

A Selection Committee consisting of Three Canadian PAS Members meets during the first week of June to select a winner.  Initially, the committee consisted of  Robert Hughes, Percussion Instructor at The University of Western Ontario as Chair, Mark Hamon, a Free-lance Drum-set Teacher and Author and, Ian Turnbull, Founding President of the Ontario Chapter PAS., who is also the Administrator. After Bob stepped down, he was replaced by the Principal Timpanist of "Orchestra London", D'Arcy Gray, as Chair:

A letter announcing the upcoming scholarship is sent each year to all Canadian Chapter Presidents, at the beginning of March. The letter requests that the Chapter Presidents publish the announcement in their respective Newsletters. The letter is also published in the PAS Journal "Percussive Notes".

Application Forms for the Scholarship were printed in "Percussive Notes" (also available in French from the Scholarship Administrator). Applicants must provide the following:- Proof of Full-Time Student Status, their latest transcription of Grades, information regarding the applicant's past awards, community involvement and their future plans, and a four/five minute video of their performance; all applicants had to be current members of PAS. All aspects of the application were considered and the winner is determined by a majority decision of the Scholarship Selection Committee.

In the Fall of 2003, in an effort to obtain more applicants, changes were made to the conditions for applying for the scholarship, in that membership in PAS was no longer mandatory. However, this brought about a somewhat negative response from the PAS Executive Committee. They determined that, the Society would no longer advertise details of the Scholarship or print the Application Form in PAS publications. Subsequently, the Administrator of the Scholarship has been solely responsible for all promotion and advertising. However, this was again changed in 2005, when that current PAS President (Rich Holly) reinstated the Scholarship Web-site.  In 2006, the scholarship was further changed to limit it to university undergraduate students who were Percussion Majors.

The Winners to date are as follows:

1991   Kyle Radomsky - White Rock, BC.
1992   Ann McGregor - London, ON.
1993   Romano DeNillo - St. John's, NFLD.
1994   Lauren Vanexem - Dorchester, ON
1995   Art Mullin - North York, ON.
1996   Matt Duboff - Winnipeg, MAN.
1997   Gina Ryan - St. John's, NFLD.
1998   Ed Choi - Toronto, ON.
1999   Ian Gibson - Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON.
2000   Michael Gambarcurta - Camlachie, ON.
2001   Andrew Dunsmore - St. John's, NFLD.
2002   Ainsley McNeaney - Toronto, ON.
2003   Keith Harding - St. John's, NFLD.
2004   Patricia Mangat - Kincardine, ON.
2005   Ben Duinker - Halifax, NS.
2006   Scott Latham - St. John's, NFLD.
2007   Whitney Rowe - St. John's, NFLD.
2008   Gregory Harrison - NB
2009   Sanja Brankovic - ON

Analysis of the Winners to 2009.

Seven Women - Eleven Men.

Nine from Ontario, Five from Newfoundland.

One each from, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Columbia.

In 2000, on the occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the Scholarship, all the Winners and the members of the Selection Committee were flown to Meductic, NB to visit the SABIAN Factory and to meet the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Robert Zildjian.