Annual Gino DiMario Scholarship Recital features talented CCM Prep students
The annual fundraiser, which was held Sunday, Oct. 27, supports the students and work of CCM Prep
Story by CCM PR Graduate Assistant Lucy Evans
Every year, students of CCM Prep come together for the Gino DiMario Scholarship Recital, a benefit recital that supports the Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship Fund. This year’s recital took place Sunday, Oct. 27, in Robert J. Werner Recital Hall, and featured twenty students of CCM Prep’s various programs.
The Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship was established in honor of Gino DiMario, a second-grade Suzuki Piano student who tragically passed away in 2005 after participating in many recitals and competitions with CCM Prep. The scholarship fund allows students from around Cincinnati to participate in one of the things Gino loved most — music.
Gino DiMario Scholarship Recital. Photo by CCM Prep Student Worker Courtney Hammonds.
The DiMario program recognizes motivated students of exceptional character, with the committee awarding the scholarships based on a personal statement, teacher recommendation and participation in CCM Prep and musical activities. Students in kindergarten through grade 11 are eligible to apply.
This year, eight students received scholarship through the program, with awards totaling $5,000. Since its inception, the Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship has provided approximately $20,000 in scholarship to CCM Prep students.
This year’s recital was a celebration of those students’ accomplishments, as well as a look to the future. The performers included this year’s recipients, 2015-16 DiMario winner Gina Fanelli and other members of CCM Prep. All performers used their talents to help local youth further their studies and share their love and dedication to music-making.
You can support the Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship Fund by making a donation online through the UC Foundation, making sure to note the DiMario Scholarship in the comment portion of the submission.
Learn more about the Gino James DiMario Scholarship and how to apply on the CCM Website.
2024-25 Gino James DiMario Memorial Scholarship recipients
Primary Grade Recipients ($500)
- Sarah Guillen, Suzuki Violin student of Boyun Li
- Francisco Vale, Suzuki Violin student of Joyce Grabell
Middle Grade Recipients ($500)
- Sean Foley, Suzuki Viola student of Christine Woodbury
- Thayer Platts, Suzuki Violin student of Dominic Miletti
- Soham Gudsoorkar, Suzuki Violin student of Joyce Grabell
- Ella Kim, piano student of Jessica Madsen
Secondary Grade Recipients ($1,000)
- Isabella Wang, Suzuki Viola student of Joyce Grabell
- Julian Lopez-Ortega, Cello student of Franklin Sandoval
Featured image at the top: Gino DiMario Scholarship Recital. Photo by CCM Prep Student Worker Courtney Hammonds.
Lucy Evans
CCM Graduate Assistant, Marketing + Communications
Lucy Evans is an artist diploma student studying Opera-Vocal Performance at CCM. She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, and has performed as a young artist with the Santa Fe Opera and Opera Theatre of St Louis.
Additional Contacts
Curt Whitacre | Director of Marketing/Communications | UC College-Conservatory of Music
whitaccp@ucmail.uc.edu | 513-556-2683
Related Stories
On track: Hoffman Honors Scholar studies public transit
April 2, 2026
Public transit is where Zane Sawyer’s lifelong passion for travel meets his commitment to making an impact. The University of Cincinnati first-year geography major in the College of Arts & Sciences and member of the second cohort of Hoffman Honors Scholars (HHS) has hit the ground running, designing a research project intended to capture both how public transit works and how its users perceive it.
UC names Suzanne Judd, PhD, as inaugural director of new Center for Public Health
April 2, 2026
Following an extensive national search, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine has appointed Suzanne E. Judd, PhD, as the inaugural director of its newly established Center for Public Health. Judd, a renowned epidemiologist and interdisciplinary scholar, will lead the center’s mission to transform community health through innovative research, education and strategic advocacy.
UC Digital Futures and Cincinnati Fire Museum launch educational video game
April 1, 2026
A new collaboration between the University of Cincinnati's Digital Performance Lab (DP Lab), CCM Acting, UC's School of Information Technology, and the Cincinnati Fire Museum is using gaming technology to bring essential fire safety education to children. The project titled Fire Escape is an interactive video game designed to teach K-12 students how to respond safely during a house fire. It was developed through Digital Futures research support, student game development, and guidance from local fire safety professionals.