MUSIC AWARDS

Music Awards

The Ridgewood Choral gives awards annually to high school seniors planning on continuing their music education. Information about the Awards and How to Apply will be available in the fall.

The Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award

The Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award for excellence in vocal or instrumental performance is given annually to a high school senior intending to continue his or her musical education at a school of higher learning.

The Ridgewood Choral Scholarship Fund was instituted by the Choral in 1967, and five years later, B. Franklin Reinauer endowed the fund as a memorial to his wife, Florence. The current award to the winner is $2,000.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Florence Reinauer Memorial Fund to ensure that young musicians will have the support they need to continue their musical studies.

To contribute to this award, please go to Donate.

The Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award

The Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award, in the amount of $1,000 was instituted during the 90th Anniversary Season (2017-2018) in honor of Marjorie Vandervoort’s 25 years of service as our Music Director. This award is intended solely for excellence in vocal performance.

In naming the award, we thought to honor our beloved director of 29 years, Marjorie Vandervoort. We hope that the Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award inspires young singers to pursue their passion for performing for many years to come.

To contribute to this award, please go to Donate. 

Acknowledgments of donations to either Award will be sent, and both the donor and honoree will be listed in the latest spring concert program. Donations are often made in the memory of a deceased loved one, to celebrate a joyous occasion, or even to honor a special event. The Ridgewood Choral thanks you in advance for your support of our Awards, and the young and talented musicians they support.

CURRENT AWARD WINNER

Margaret Jerkovich is a senior at Ridgewood High School. She has studied under Marlene Whittemore for 8 years learning classical and contemporary music. For 3 years, Margot was a part of the all-female acapella group, the Aca-Bellas, and was chosen this year to be the Assistant Musical Director. Margot is currently a part of the RHS Treble choir. She also acts as the manager and lead singer of the band “Mystery Flavor,” which was formed in June of 2020. Margot is actively involved in her school’s theatre company, RHS New Players. She was recently cast as Judy Bernly in their upcoming show 9-5. Margot has also attended the Stella Adler Teen Conservatory. In September of 2021, Margot was selected to be a part of the All-State Treble Choir.

Winner of the Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award

Edward Lee 

Viola

Bergen County Academies

Edward Lee is an eighteen-year-old violist from Teaneck, New Jersey, currently studying with Sophie Arbuckle at Juilliard Pre-College. In the summer of 2025, he sat as Principal Viola of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA), performing at Carnegie Hall and touring six cities across Asia. At Juilliard, he has served as Principal Violist of both the Symphony and Orchestra and is a senior at Bergen County Academies. As a winner of the Juilliard Pre-College Open Concerto Competition, he will perform with the Juilliard Pre-College Symphony in May 2026.


Edward has appeared as a soloist with the Riverside Orchestra and the Ambler Symphony Orchestra. He is a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award and a National YoungArts Award Winner in classical music. He has earned top prizes in several international competitions, including the NFMC Wendell Irish Viola Competition, the International Grande Music Competition, and the Radda Rise International String Competition.


A passionate chamber musician, Edward has participated in the New York Youth Symphony Chamber Music Program for five years and was a finalist in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Young Musicians Concert. In 2024, he attended the Morningside Music Bridge Program, performing in masterclasses for Lawrence Dutton, Carol Rodland, Martha Katz, Roberto Díaz, Atar Arad, and Nathan Braude.

PAST MUSIC AWARD WINNERS

Search the Internet to find videos, recordings and information about these talented musicians.

2025 Hongrae Kim (saxophone), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award.

2025 Rachel Bustamante (vocalist, soprano), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award.

2024 Isabella Jung (violin), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award.

2024 Cecilia Soheily (vocalist), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award.

2023 Lucas Wang (bassoon), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award.

2023 Tyler Kriney (vocalist, baritone), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award.

2022 Calvin Harper (trombone) Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award.

2022 Margot Jerkovich (vocalist), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award Winner.

2021 Aleksi Zaretsky (violin), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award.

2021 Emanuel Singletary (vocalist), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award Winner.

2020 Bruce Xu (organist), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award Winner.

2020 Caitlin O’Brien (vocalist), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award Winner.

2019 Laura Cardona (vocalist, soprano), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award Winner

2019 Joseph Bucci (tenor), Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award Winner

2018 Isaac Ketter (alto saxaphonist), Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award Winner

2018 Tiffani Amber Rivera, Marjorie Vandervoort Vocal Award Winner

2017 Andrew Hughes (violist).

2016 Marina Sakellakis (saxophonist)

2015 Davis C. Badaszewski (organist)

2014 1st Place Winner Tiffany Sun (flutist)

2014 2nd Place Winner Mark Serkin (cellist)

2013 Samantha Park (Soprano)

2012 Dana Ramirez (violin)

2011 Ruriko Terada (harp)

2010 Beata Safari (pianist)

2009 Renata Kapilevich (vocalist)

2008 $1000 Winner Emma Schmiedecke (cellist)

2008 $500 Winner Jessica Eucker (vocalist)

2007 Kristen McGuire (flutist)

2006 Robert Farruggia (vocalist)

2005 Andrea Mumm (harpist)

2004 Carl Patrick Bolleia (pianist)

2003 Patrick Laird (cellist)

2002 Peter Folliard (euphonium)

2001 Daniel Munm (cellist)

2000 Richard J. Hicks, III (cellist)

1999 Elizabeth Lowry (vocalist)

1998 Samantha Friedrich (vocalist)

1997 Maria Clara Mallonga (pianist)

1996 John Williams (tuba)

1995 Sarah Anne Lewis (vocalist)

1994 Jennifer Cho (vocalist)

1993 Viera Effler (pianist)

1992 Stephanie Ferrari (vocalist)

1991 Minako Imada (pianist)

1990 Elizabeth Cassidy (vocalist)

1989 Lisa Yaeger (vocalist)

1988 Yasuko Masaki (pianist)

1987 Margaret Topken (clarinetist)

1986 Marissa Regni (violinist)

1985 Miyako Sakai (pianist)

1984 Wendy Margo (pianist)

1983 Jody Lichtig (vocalist)

1982 Michael Joseph Maraz (vocalist)

1981 Sarah Janick (pianist)

1980 Claire Benacerraf (vocalist)

1979 Margaret Bethke

1978 Susan Willen

1977 Elizabeth Foerster

1976 Ruthanne Wiley

1975 Jeffrey Good

1974 Dennis O’Shea

1973 David Boeddinhaus

1972 Nicholas Schidlovsky

1971 Donald L. Appert

1970 James Rile

1969 Joy E. Buhler

1968 Janice Weber

1967 Denise Brown

Margaret Jerkovich is a senior at Ridgewood High School. She has studied under Marlene Whittemore for 8 years learning classical and contemporary music. For 3 years, Margot was a part of the all-female acapella group, the Aca-Bellas, and was chosen this year to be the Assistant Musical Director. Margot is currently a part of the RHS Treble choir. She also acts as the manager and lead singer of the band “Mystery Flavor,” which was formed in June of 2020. Margot is actively involved in her school’s theatre company, RHS New Players. She was recently cast as Judy Bernly in their upcoming show 9-5. Margot has also attended the Stella Adler Teen Conservatory. In September of 2021, Margot was selected to be a part of the All-State Treble Choir.