Before the New School commencement at Riverside Church on May 20th, Mannes held its annual Dean's Reception for Graduates on May 19th in the Concert Hall. Dean Joel Lester and student representative Terry Orcutt (B.M., oboe) began the afternoon with opening remarks to the room full of new graduates. After a passionate performanc of Eugène Ysaye's Sonate, Op. 27, No. 16 by 1996 Mannes graduate Jonathan Swartz (M.M., violin,) Associate Dean Frank Nemhauser concluded the reception with the presentation of awards and honors to the May graduates.

Mannes wishes the best of luck to the 1997 graduates and commencement award recipients.


Jazz Program Students perform at Graduation. From left to right: Nick Rolfe, Kenyatta Beasley and Ehud Guy.

Kyle Adams (B.M., piano)
Academic Excellence Award
The Felix Salzer Techniques of Music Award
The Newton Swift Piano Award

Haim Avitsur (B.M., trombone)
The George and Elizabeth Gregory Award for Excellence in Performance

Srdjan Berdovic (B.M., guitar)
The Mannes College of Music Performance Award

Dory Creedle (P.S.C, voice)
The Richard F. Gold Career Grant

Daniel McMillan (M.M., percussion)
The Mannes College of Music Deanšs Award

Alicia Oliva (B.M., composition)
The Felix Salzer Techniques of Music Award

Erica Strauss (B.M., voice)
The Lotte Pulvermacher-Egers Humanities Award

Vladimir Valjarevic (M.M., piano)
The Marian Marcus Wahl Memorial Award

Mei-Huei Wei (currently pursuing B.M., piano)
The Joseph Fidelman Piano Prize