M. Louise Miller – Paul E. Knox Scholarship

Congratulation Sarah Ku – 2026 Scholarship Winner!

Born in New York City, Sarah Ku began her musical training at an early age and built a strong foundation in both piano and organ through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM, UK), earning Distinction and a Performance Diploma. During her years at Clifton College in Bristol, England, she served as an Organ Music Scholar under the guidance of James Drinkwater. She continued her musical and academic studies at Groton School, Massachusetts, where she studied organ with Daniel Moriarty and Peter Sykes. At Groton, she served as a chapel organist, chorister for Groton School Choir, and the principal pianist of the Chamber Ensemble. For the past two years, she was an Organ Scholar at Christ Church in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
 
Sarah was a recipient of the 2026 Young Arts National Award in Classical Music (Organ). She also received Second Prize in both the North Carolina Salem College High School Organ Competition (Advanced Division) in 2023 and the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival High School Competition in 2024. She has further refined her artistry through programs including the Curtis Summer Organ Intensive and Pipe Organ Encounter Advanced, where she was mentored by Alan Morrison, Peter Conte, and Janette Fishell.
 
Sarah will join us performing at our annual scholarship recital in May or June 2027 in Fairfield County, CT. You can hear her required competition Bach, romantic and hymn submissions, and read more about Sarah below.
 
Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582, https://vimeo.com/1196289216/5b22f1264c?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Romantic: Organ Sonata No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 65 IV. Allegro maestos Mendelssohn https://vimeo.com/1196292228/1aa007eb39?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Lobe den Herren from Ereuerten Gesangbuch) https://vimeo.com/1196387706/bd9015de04?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

(Visit us here next February 2027 for the new scholarship application)

$7,000* Award for 2027 (* up to $14,000) – Submission Deadline June 1, 2027

A scholarship fund was established in 1998 to honor the life and work of Dr. M. Louise Miller (1914 – 2008), a founding member (1948) of the Greater Bridgeport chapter, and to recognize her great achievements in the fields of church music, organ playing and teaching. In 2015, through a generous gift from the estate of Dr. Paul E. Knox (1930-2015), an esteemed colleague of Dr. Miller and outstanding church musician and teacher, the Greater Bridgeport Chapter of the AGO renamed the scholarship. A $5,000* scholarship will be awarded in July 2027 to an undergraduate student pursuing study in fall 2027 at an American college, conservatory, or university, leading toward a career in organ performance and church music. An additional $2,000 winner’s recital program (includes travel expenses) will be scheduled in May/June 2028 in Connecticut for the chapter members and public.

The application process includes writing a short essay and submitting a recording of two standard organ pieces (Bach and Romantic).  Application deadline is June 1, 2027.  

Click here for the .doc application form and detail instructions (check your Download area for the .doc). Please email lmillerpknoxscholarship@gmail.com the completed form or any other questions. 

*The Greater Bridgeport AGO Chapter is also pleased to inform scholarship applicants that John Polo is also the Program Director of the Greenville SC AGO Chapter (Robert & Nancy) Powell Scholarship. Both scholarships have the same criteria and timeline but submitted separately and have separate judges. This is a unique opportunity to win up to $14,000 in scholarships/winning. That application is available at this link.

John J. Polo
Program Director & Treasurer, M. Louise Miller-Paul E. Knox Scholarship Program

Current Judges – Galen Tate, Dr. Stephen Rapp, Kevin Bailey, Alex Hodgkinson

Former Judges – K. Bryan Kirk, Dr. Paul Knox (In Memory), Dr. John Michniewicz, Rev. Dr. Paul Jacobson, Dr. Heitor Caballero, Dr. Alice Caldwell

Previous Winners

David Kraft
Daniel Colaner
Ryan Giraldi
Anne Maria Lim
Katherine Jolliff
Hannah Engwall
Nathan Pennington
Elena Baquerizo
Jeremy Paul Jelinek
Alden Wright
David von Behren
Colin MacKnight
Katelyn Emerson
Amanda Mole
Mary Pan
Kevin Neel 
Nicholas Capozzoli
Christopher Howerter
Scott Montgomery
Susan Beisner Powell
Frederick Teardo

Congratulations!

M. Louise Miller – Paul E. Knox Scholarship

Congratulations Sarah Ku - 2026 Winner!

Sarah Ku will be a freshman at Yale University, New Haven, CT, and will complete a B.A./M.M. in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry while pursuing a Master of Music in Organ Performance. 

 Read More about M. Louise Miller – Paul E. Knox Scholarship

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