Music students win scholarships from the Kate

OLD SAYBROOK — The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center has announced the recipients of its inaugural Hepburn scholarship are Margaret (Maggie) Maselli and Timothy Thomas.

Created in honor of the Kate’s 10th anniversary, the scholarship recognizes a high school senior residing in Old Saybrook who demonstrates a passion for, and participation in, the arts, according to a press release.

Maselli has been involved in the arts since 2, when she began dancing. She has studied several styles of dance, including two ballet techniques, and performed in countless productions. She plays the French horn in the Old Saybrook High School band and Shoreline Youth Symphony, and attended the Southern Region and New England Music Festivals. She has also participated in the Gold Chorus, Treble Choir, and Chamber Singers.

Her talents have converged with her participation in the drama club, where she is vice president, the release continued. In addition to performing in several productions, Maselli has also choreographed numbers for “Beauty and the Beast,” for which she won a HALO Award for Best Student Choreographer;

“On the Town” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”

She also was a stage manager for the fall production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” Masselli will be attending Hamilton College as a general music major.

Thomas realized his passion for the arts when, as a toddler, he would try to play his siblings’ violins, according to the Kate. He studied ballet and tap dance, but found his true love was singing while still in elementary school.

He even performed as part of the Goodwin Elementary School special choir at the opening of the Kate. In seventh grade, he was accepted for a half-year of study with the American Boychoir School in Princeton, N.J. His singing career continued with the large choir ensembles at Old Saybrook High School, including Men’s Chorus and Chamber Singers, the release continued.

While still in middle school, Thomas was selected to perform in two of the high school’s musicals. In his high school career, he performed in productions, but also took on roles as stage manager and supported set production.

In his senior year, he had a rewarding internship with Mrs. Geer at

Goodwin Elementary, where he developed a lesson plan that incorporated technology into music classes. For four years, he attended Csehy Summer School of Music in Pennsylvania, where he has played in the advance bell choir and sung in the select choir.

Thomas also plays the piano, recorder, guitar and accordion, and has composed original music. He will be attending Cairn University as a music education major.

The scholarship review committee, comprised of Tara Winch, chairwoman of the Kate’s Education Committee, Margaret Samela, John Torrenti and John Gage, had the difficult task of assessing seven strong and highly qualified applicants for this year’s scholarship, according to the Kate.

After careful review of written applications and Zoom interviews with each student, the committee found it increasingly difficult to identify just one recipient.

Thanks to additional fundraising by the Kate’s Board of Trustees, a second award was made possible. The Kate looks forward to continually recognizing accomplished and creative Old Saybrook students with this scholarship for years to come.

For information, visit thekate.org or call 860510-0473.

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is located on Main Street in Old Saybrook.