Andy Nagraj '02

I have been following in my older brother's footsteps and training my voice since the fall of my ninth grade year. Singing is a passion that I hope to study further in college and to one day pursue professionally. Last year, I began venturing out into the local music scene of the Hampton Roads community. It so happened that I was selected to participate in a youth choir sponsored by the Virginia Chorale. During the course of this program, I came to know the director, Bob Shoup, who also happens to be the chorus master for the Virginia Symphony Chorus. At the end of the youth choir sessions, he asked me if I would like to join the Symphony Chorus on their summer European concert tour. It would be the experience of a lifetime, he told me.

With the generous contribution of the Tayloe Scholarship, I was able to finance my participation in this breathtaking trip. We sang concerts in the cities of Prague and Brno, Czech Republic; Salzburg, Austria (Mozart's hometown); and Munich, Germany. When we were not singing, ample time was left for taking in the sights of Central Europe. Traveling with a group of Czech musicians in lands foreign to us, we thus used music to bridge the gap in language and culture.

Perhaps the greatest gift of all was the wealth of experience I gained from other, older singers who shared their wisdom on musical technique, education, and career planning. I am forever indebted to the Hal Tayloe Summer Enrichment Scholarship Fund for giving me the motivation to move ahead in the field of vocal music. No matter where my singing career takes me, I will always remember my European concert debut and the gift that allowed me to get there. Students wishing to take advantage during this summer should stop by either the Upper School or Middle School office to pick up an application. Completed applications are due by the first of April.