The University of North Texas College of Music has named harp student Danielle Cordray of Austin, currently a resident of Keller, Texas, the 2014-15 Presser Scholar and recipient of the $4,000 Presser Scholarship.
The Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award is presented annually to a student entering his or her senior year who has shown extraordinary musical and academic accomplishments.
The winner is nominated and selected by the UNT music faculty and receives the award from the Presser Foundation, which awards annual scholarships, grants and funds for the furthering of music education and music in America. The foundation was founded in 1916 by Theodore Presser, a music publisher and philanthropist.
“Danielle’s musical artistry is deep and expressive,” said Jaymee Haefner, professor of harp. “She’s intelligent and motivated, preparing and performing repertoire which would be challenging for some doctoral students. She pours herself into every piece she learns and has grown exponentially during her college studies.”
Cordray originally studied piano, but after a friend who played harp showed her how to play Cordray asked her parents for a small harp. In high school, she shifted her focus to the harp and, after meeting Haefner during her sophomore year of high school, Cordray knew she wanted to attend UNT to study with the professor.
At UNT, Cordray has performed with the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Orchestra and as harp accompaniment to the Women’s Chorus. She regularly performs throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, including with the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Dallas Civic Wind Ensemble. In this past year, she has been selected as a College of Music Concerto Competition winner, as a semi-finalist in the 2014 Young Texas Artist Competition and won the Julia Hermann Edwards harp competition, hosted by the Dallas Harp Society.
“Being named a Presser Scholar is a great honor and I hope to show my gratitude by continuing to seek out opportunities for growth and success in my senior year,” said Cordray.
About the UNT College of Music
The UNT College of Music is one of the largest and most respected comprehensive music schools in the country. More than 1,600 music students attend UNT each year, participating in more than 50 widely varied ensembles and pursuing specialized studies in performance, composition, music education or music scholarship. UNT faculty members and students have made appearances on the world’s finest stages and have produced numerous recordings, many receiving Grammy awards and nominations. Distinguished UNT alumni can be found around the globe, in top music ensembles, opera companies, universities and schools.