The St. Clair Music Study Club Endowment
Music scholarships for residents and/or students of the East China School District in grades 7-11 who have studied one year or more with an accredited music teacher and/or a member of a band or chorale group. Must audition and have a letter of recommendation.
Application information is available in January of each year with auditions being held the beginning of March.
Multiple scholarships are awarded each year and include:
- Patron Scholarship – Piano, Voice or Instrumental
- Dr. Richard Sargent Scholarship – Instrumental
- Betty Winslow Piano Scholarship – Piano
- Dr. JT Winslow Vocal Scholarship – Voice
- Mary Moore Organ Scholarship
- Agness A. Haas Scholarship in memory of George W & Lillian L McLeod - Piano, Voice or Instrumental
The St. Clair Music Study Club was organized in May of 1930 by a group of St. Clair women. The purpose of the Club was to study music and promote music appreciation.
The Club usually had a theme- opera, music of the times, chorus, symphonic, etc.- and that theme guided their programs through the year. Upon the start of the Club, they soon started their first of many on-going projects, the “Christmas present”, a Christmas program for the community that included solos and instrumentals.
The next project they undertook was the creation of The Hymn Singers, directed by Lillian McLeod.
The Club also took on Music at the Gazebo. This program continued until the Club ended in 2001-2002. Upon the ending of the Clubs programs, they still were very interested in nurturing young musicians through scholarships and have continued to do so through this scholarship fund.
The individuals named in the scholarships provided by this fund all played a significant role in the St. Clair Music Study Club throughout the years.
Betty Winslow served as president of the Club for eight terms. She initiated “Patron Membership”, Music at the Gazebo and created a piano scholarship. Betty passed away in 2011 after giving many years to the community.
Agness Haas was a long time choir participant and member of the St Clair Music Study Club, and was also active in the choir at St Peters Lutheran Church. She came to St Clair in 1949 and passed away there in 2006 at the age of 95. She had a great passion for music and helping people.
George and Lillian McLeod dedicated their lives to music education. Before and after coming to St Clair in 1953, George taught music at the University of Detroit and the Musical Institute of Arts in Detroit, and directed numerous choirs and choral groups. He directed the St Clair Music Study Club choir, gave private voice lessons in the area, and was also choir director for the Congregational Church in St Clair as well as several churches in Port Huron. He passed away in St Clair in 1970 at the age of 68. Lillian also taught piano in her home to many young students in St Clair. She also sang in the Music Study Club and Congregational Church choirs, while raising six children. She passed away in St Clair in 1994 at the age of 78. The McLeod’s brought a music culture to St Clair that greatly enhanced the community over many decades!
For additional information contact Mr. Scott Fryer at (810) 676-1838 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
