Stephen Hawkey Selected for NRO Summer Music Festival

2018 Mar 21

Stephen Hawkey, a senior orchestral instrument performance major at Bob Jones University, was selected by the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) to participate in the 2018 Summer Music Festival held throughout June and July in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The NRO Summer Music Festival is an eight week orchestra training experience that provides an opportunity for young musicians to gather invaluable experience playing a broad variety of orchestral works with world-renowned guest conductors from orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Each year, the NRO auditions nearly 1,000 musicians between the ages of 18-29 in over 25 cities across the country to fill 88 tuition-free spots for the orchestra. Hawkey was selected to fill one of nine spots in the cello section.

A resident of Hendersonville, Hawkey currently performs as a member of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, the BJU Symphony Orchestra, and the BJU Cello Choir. Previously, Hawkey participated in the Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA) and was also selected to perform with the NRO in 2016.

"I'm grateful that Stephen is returning to the NRO for a second season," said Dr. Yuriy Leonovich of BJU's music faculty. "I am confident that he will be among the cream of the crop of our country's conservatory students."

In addition, Sara Beam, a 2016 BJU graduate, and Caleb Cox, a 2015 BJU graduate, will participate in the festival. Cox will serve as principal viola and Beam will play in the violin section.