DENTON (UNT), Texas  The University of North Texas College of Music has named Yuxin Mei the 2018-19 Presser Graduate Music Award winner and recipient of the $10,000 Presser scholarship.
“It means really a lot to me,” Mei said. “I still remember that I was very insecure, nervous and stressed when I just started my study of ethnomusicology at UNT in 2012. I was not only frustrated by the language barriers as an international student, but also I needed to adapt to an entirely new academic area and a different educational system. Receiving this prestigious award today is special to me, as it recognizes my six years of hard work and study, and it also encourages me in my studies and for my future career.”
The Presser Graduate Music Award is a program designed to “encourage and support in a special way the advanced education and career of truly exceptional graduate music students who have the potential to make a distinguished contribution to the field of music.”
The winner is nominated and selected by the UNT College of Music faculty and receives the award from the Presser Foundation, which awards annual scholarships, grants and funds for the furthering of music education in America. Theodore Presser, who was a music publisher and philanthropist, established the foundation in 1916.
“I really appreciate the academic and professional support I received from my advisor Dr. Catherine Ragland, as well as Dr. Steven Friedson, Dr. Vivek Virani, the ethnomusicology department, and the Division of Music History, Theory and Ethnomusicology,” Mei said. “Without their help and encouragement, I could not have reached this achievement.”
Mei is currently working on her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at UNT. She plans to use the scholarship to study Chinese ensemble music with professors from the renowned China Conservatory in Beijing, Xinghai Conservatory in Guangzhou and Teochew Music Ensemble in Chaozhou from July 2 to August 27.  
“It will help grow my capacity for teaching varied styles of Chinese ensemble music to American students and make the UNT Chinese Ensemble stand out among others in the United States,” Mei said.
About the UNT College of Music
The College of Music is one of the nation’s largest and most respected comprehensive music schools. It offers fully accredited degrees from the bachelor to doctoral levels and is home to the world’s first jazz studies degree program. Faculty include internationally acclaimed artists and scholars in composition, conducting, ethnomusicology, music education, music entrepreneurship, music history, music theory and performance. The college presents more than 1,100 concerts and recitals annually. UNT music alumni can be found around the globe in impressive, award-winning careers across a wide-range of music professions. Visit the College of Music online calendar at http://music.unt.edu/calendar and connect with the College of Music on Facebook at Facebook.com/UNTCollegeofMusic, on Twitter at @UNTCoM and on Instagram at @untcollegeofmusic.