Susan Dantoni received the 2021-22 Undergraduate Scholar Award from Roberts Wesleyan University. She wrote this thank you letter to the Foundation.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity afforded me of being selected as the Roberts Wesleyan University Presser Scholar for the 2022-2023 school year. There were many other excellent candidates and I am humbled and honored by this award. My path to becoming a music student at Roberts Wesleyan University has been somewhat unusual and I hope to use this honor to showcase the excellent training and education I have received here.
I am currently a rising senior piano performance major with a GPA of 3.98. Prior to auditioning at Roberts, I had a twenty-plus year career as an obstetrician/gynecologist. Several years ago, I developed unusual joint pain and was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis which led me to retire from my field. I had been an avid musician in my younger years and found myself working with some local children’s theatre groups and accompanying at the Hochstein Community Music School. I had not studied piano since high school so I began working with Professor Joe Werner at Hochstein. I studied with him for two years and finally confessed that I wanted to pursue a degree in piano performance. At the time, I was unaware he was the head of piano studies at Roberts Wesleyan. He convinced me that I was ready to audition and before I knew it, I was sitting in music classes with students my own children’s ages!
During my time at Roberts, I have accompanied the Chorale and Women’s Choir. I won the Concerto Competition this year and performed the first movement of the Bach D minor Keyboard Concerto with the RWCCO. This performance also won first place in the Charleston International Baroque Competition. I have been given multiple opportunities to accompany vocal and instrumental students for recitals and auditions including music directing and accompanying last year’s school musical and this year’s opera workshop. I have performed two full solo recitals. I also study voice and play the flute with the Wind Ensemble and the Flute Choir. I am currently planning my Presser recital for next semester.
Roberts Wesleyan University provides musical training second to none. The faculty are world class and have inspired me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Collaborative Piano after graduation. I hope that my journey will inspire others to pursue their dreams no matter their age or physical limitations. Being this year’s Presser Scholar will help me show others that anything is possible!
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
Postscript April 2023: You can watch Dr. Dantoni’s Senior Recital here.
