The University of North Georgia (UNG) Department of Music was awarded a Halle Foundation grant that will support four students attending the Saarburg International Music Festival in Germany for two weeks in summer 2025.

Dr. Benjamin Schoenig, department head, announced the winners of UNG's student auditions for the Saarburg International Music Festival: Tyler Howell, Atira Murawski, Hayden Starr, and Greisi Voja. Yi Jin was named honorable mention.

 As part of the grant, students will also perform at the Halle Estate in Atlanta in fall 2025. The festival supports students in most of UNG's performance areas (voice, piano, brass and woodwinds), and the grant will fully cover the cost of the trip for students.

This is the first grant to the university, and Dr. Joanna Kim, associate department head and professor of music, is the grant recipient.   

"It is a privilege to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to our music students, and I am excited about the ways this experience will inspire and enrich their artistic growth. This grant represents a meaningful step toward fostering global engagement and excellence within our music program," Kim said.

Howell, a senior, is pursuing a degree in music with a saxophone performance concentration. He hails from Cumming, Georgia.

"Being named for this opportunity means so much to me and my musical career. This festival will give me a chance to share the fabulous education I have received at UNG at an international level. It also provides me with further educational and pedagogical tools that I can utilize in my teaching and performance career," he said.

"This also allows me to travel outside of the country for the first time, which I would not have had the financial means to otherwise. Overall, it is an incredible opportunity that will change the trajectory of my career for the better."

Murawski, a resident of Oakwood, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in instrumental music education and anticipates graduating this spring.

"Being named a finalist by the Halle Foundation is a huge honor and I am excited to represent UNG on an International level. Not only is this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most college students, but also a fantastic context in which I can showcase my development as a musician while also learning from world-class musicians," she said. "The collaborative aspect of music cannot be understated, and I am ecstatic to connect with people from several different backgrounds. This experience will not only improve me as a musician, but also a future educator."

Starr is pursuing an instrumental music education and vocal performance degree. He plays the alto saxophone but was selected as a vocalist. Being chosen was humbling for the junior from Dawsonville, Georgia.

"I am beyond grateful for the chance to go to Germany to represent UNG's Department of Music and work with other musicians from all over the world. The chance to not only travel overseas, but to do so to present my hard work and better myself in my field of study is something I never could have imagined," he said. 

Voja, a senior from Fier, Albania, is also pursuing a degree in music; her degree features a concentration in piano performance. Upon graduation, she looks forward to becoming a professional performer.

"Participating in the Saarburg Music Festival is a gate to musical enrichment, interacting with other talented musicians and music lovers, advancing my piano training internationally, and expanding my horizons by learning from other qualified European performers and educators," she said, adding that she considers performing in the festival as a way to show her dedication to rehearsals, intensive training and professional relationships with other performers in the field. 

Jin, a freshman from Tianjin, China, is pursuing a degree in music with a concentration in piano performance.

"Unfortunately, I'm not able to participate in this music event, but it's nice to be named honorable mention. It’s affirming and encouraging to me as well," she said.

Kim said she was grateful to the UNG 2024 Grants Academy for guidance and Chris Jackson and Dylan Williams in Sponsored Programs for their invaluable support throughout this journey.

"Their expertise and encouragement were instrumental in bringing this project to fruition," Kim said.

The mission of The Halle Foundation is to promote understanding, knowledge and friendship between the people of Germany, as seen in its European context, and those of the United States. In furtherance of this mission, the Foundation supports, primarily through grantmaking, initiatives and activities in the fields of education, culture, science, technology, language, scholarship, and international relations.