04/30/2026
Announcing the Winners of the 2nd Annual Scholarship Competition!
Dear Friend of Berks Sinfonietta,
We are thrilled to announce the results of Berks Sinfonietta's newest program, the 2nd Annual Scholarship Competition! This exciting opportunity was open to all talented and promising high school students (grades 10-12) residing in Berks County, regardless of their instrument or planned college major. This year, a total of seven students applied. We want all applicants to know how impressed we were with the level of technical and musical mastery we heard and saw in their video applications. It is a testament to their considerable gifts and the excellence of their teachers.
Winners!
Joshua Griffith
Grade: Senior
Instrument: Cello
Audition Piece: Allegro Appassionato, Op.43 (Saint-Saëns, Camille)
Grace Campling
Grade: Junior
Instrument: Bass
Audition Piece: Concerto for Double Bass (Koussevitzky, Serge)
Runner-up (should one soloist be unable to play):
Marissa Smith
Grade: Senior
Instrument: Flute
Audition Piece: Morceau de Concours (Faure, Gabriel)
About the Winners
Grace Campling is a junior at Exeter Township Senior High School. She began playing the bass in 3rd grade. She is a past member of the Reading Symphony Junior Strings Orchestra and current member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. She has performed locally with Berks Sinfonietta and the Reading Pops Orchestra. Over the years Grace has earned many merit scholarships through Reading Musical Foundation. Grace enjoys representing her school in the PMEA Festivals where she had the honor of placing 1st at the State level for both 2025 and 2026. Her proudest accomplishment is being accepted into the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra in Switzerland for Summer 2026. Grace began her bass studies with Charles Breaux who instilled her with an early love for music. She currently studies with Mary Javian who inspires her to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional musician.
Joshua Griffith is currently a senior at 21st Century Cyber Charter School. He has pursued his education through homeschooling and cyber schooling for his entire academic career. He began cello studies at the age of eight with Crystal Jordan and has studied with Brian Mishler for the past eight years. In fourth grade, he joined the Reading Symphony Junior Strings Orchestra. He currently serves as Associate Cellist with the Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra. Joshua is a two-time recipient of the Peter Brye Cello Scholarship from the Reading Musical Foundation.
In addition to his musical achievements, Joshua is a member of the National Honor Society and an accomplished visual artist, working in oil, watercolor, sculpture, and clay pottery. He is also a dedicated athlete, serving as captain of the Exeter Varsity Water Polo team and is also a member of the Exeter Varsity Swim Team.
Joshua will be attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, to pursue a degree in Industrial Design.
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Special thanks to Customers Bank, whose generous contribution is underwriting the scholarship awards, and to the Reading Musical Foundation for their financial support and guidance in establishing this program.
