2025 Music Scholarship Winners

The Board of Music has awarded two scholarships to area student musicians, Susan Haberlandt and Leelah Mouradov. The scholarships, which go toward the cost of the students’ private music instruction, are awarded annually to encourage excellence in church musicianship. The Board acknowledges, with thanks, Board member emeritus Norma Vaughn, who once again made a generous financial donation to the scholarship fund. In the spring of 2026, these two talented musicians will play for our congregation during worship!

Susan Haberlandt of East Hartford, a senior at Classical Magnet School next fall, auditioned on the pipe organ. A piano student for many years, she only began playing the organ two years ago. Her skills on the “king of instruments” shone in her audition piece, “Toccata in E minor” by Pachelbel.

Leelah Mouradov of Glastonbury began playing piano as a kindergartener. A rising junior at Glastonbury High School, she currently studies with Anne Cassarino of Glastonbury. Ms. Mouradov, who has her own roster of young piano students, sings soprano in the Glastonbury High School Concert Choir and Madrigals and has been accepted into the choirs in the Eastern Region, All-State and New England Music Festivals.

The chair of the scholarship committee, Cheryl Gaudette, said, “These fine young women greatly impressed the scholarship committee with their technique and their musicianship. We look forward to having them play for the First Church congregation, and we hope these scholarships will encourage them to continue to make beautiful music!”