Four high school and college-age students from Tuscaloosa and Foley, Alabama are the winners of Chamber Music Tuscaloosa’s (CMT) 2026 Rogers-Dean Award Competition.
CMT’s annual Rogers-Dean Awards support talented music students as they further their studies and pursue performance opportunities in the field. Three awards of $3,000 each are granted in the categories of best high school award, best collegiate award, and best at-large award (high school or college). A further merit award of $2,000 may also be given at the award committee’s discretion.
Award winners are determined on the basis of a formal application, performance resume, letters of recommendation, and a 20-minute performance video recording. Rising high school juniors and seniors or college undergraduate instrumentalists on any string, brass, woodwind, or percussion instrument in the state of Alabama are eligible.
This year’s student winners include:
HIGH SCHOOL ($3,000)
Miguel Quintero, flute
Graduating senior at Foley High School, Foley; incoming freshman at University of Alabama
Performance video repertory: Cécile Chaminade, Flute Concertino and Claude Debussy, Syrinx
COLLEGIATE ($3,000)
Yukino Shichinohe, saxophone
Junior at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Performance video repertory: André Waignein, Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone, Mvts. 1-2 and Karalyn Schubring, Rise
AT-LARGE ($3,000)
Emily Díaz, flute/piccolo
Junior at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Performance video repertory: Béla Bartók, ed. Peter Verhoyen, Romanian Dances and Eugène Damaré, La Tourterelle
MERIT AWARD ($2,000)
Macy Shelton, violin
Graduating senior at University Church Christian Academy, Tuscaloosa; incoming freshman at University of Alabama
Performance video repertory: Dmitry Kabalevsky, Concerto in C Major, Mvt. 1 and Edward Elgar, Salut d’amor, Op. 12
ABOUT CHAMBER MUSIC TUSCALOOSA In 2019 the String Quartet Society of Tuscaloosa, established 1998, reimagined its mission, expanded its emphasis beyond strings to all orchestral instrument families and changed its name to Chamber Music Tuscaloosa (CMT). The original mission remains educational and cultural in meeting our vision to enrich the lives of people in the Tuscaloosa area with superior chamber music performances.
Our primary strategy is offering regular, inspiring, instrumental chamber music performances for the Greater Tuscaloosa community. Other strategies include focused educational opportunities for children, as well as a highly competitive scholarship program for high school and college students to assist with supplies, tuitions, or other educational and performance opportunities that help them reach their musical goals.
CMT provides two formal concerts each year by nationally known professional ensembles to facilitate acquaintance with a variety of instrumental chamber music and the rich and diverse music composed for this genre. CMT is a member of the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa and works in cooperation with The University of Alabama School of Music, Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, Tuscaloosa City Schools, and other community entities who contribute to the rich cultural environment of Tuscaloosa. Dr. Jacob Adams, President of the Board of Directors, is Professor of Viola at The University of Alabama.
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