MTSU Guitar Student wins - big time

MTSU Guitar student Silviu Ciulei has just been awarded a full tuition scholarship and a $10,800 stipend to attend Florida State University School of Music for his Masters Degree in Guitar Performance. This is the largest package ever offered by FSU to an incoming Masters level student. The award includes a Graduate Assistantship and a Dean's Fellowship. FSU is one of the finest graduate guitar programs in the US and has placed a great number of it's guitar grads in full-time University teaching positions throughout the US... including me.

Silviu also won Third Prize this weekend at the Appalachian State Univ. Guitar Competition, his second consecutive prize in this competition. This is the Fifth consecutive year that an MTSU student or grad has won a prize in this highly competitive national competition. Some of the programs represented by students in this competition include: Cleveland Institute, Peabody Conservatory, Cal. State Northridge, Manhattan School of Music, etc... it is a big time competition, one of two annual national level competitions in the southeast.

I can't believe it's been 5 years since I met Silviu backstage in Constanta, Romania after my concerto performance with the Black Sea Philharmonic. I knew right away that this kid was extraordinary and wow... has he grown. Since coming to the US, he's gained 4 inches and at least 50 lbs... and some guitar chops to boot.

It's great to see another MTSU grad leave the nest with a huge scholarship. He'll be in good hands at FSU with my old teacher, Bruce Holzman.