SAVANNAH — The Savannah Friends of Music awarded more than $55,000 to the region’s musical organizations and scholars, including three from Richmond Hill, at its recent annual awards luncheon at the Plantation Club on Skidaway Island.

This year’s grant recipients include American Traditions Competition, Armstrong Youth Orchestra, Esther Garrison School for Visual and Performing Arts, Rise Chorales, Savannah Music Festival, Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Savannah VOICE Festival and Sponsors of New and Talented Artists (Sonata).

Additionally, the Friends of Music awarded scholarship money to the following Richmond Hill students, who are listed along with their instrument, school they attend and summer music camp for which they will use the scholarship:

• McGregor Koenig, oboe, Richmond Hill Middle School, International Double Reed Society Double Reed Camp;

• Calie Peterson, piano, Richmond Hill High School, Piano Discoveries Camp at the University of Mississippi; and

• Hanna Suddath, voice, home-schooled, Savannah VOICE Festival’s Teen VOICE Camp. (Editor’s note: For more on Suddath, turn to Life on the Hill, page 9B.)

The scholarship winners were chosen by a committee that considered each applicant’s background, interests and accomplishments, placing more weight on how students described the positive impacts the summer music program would have on their musical experience.

"I must thank my hardworking board and members for all they do to raise funds to enable us to continue this tradition," said Raymond Patricio, the president of the Savannah Friends of Music.