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
Decade of discovery
July 27, 2026
Every summer, UHP Discover has connected undergraduate students in the University Honors Program (UHP) to a unique array of opportunities in original interdisciplinary research. This year, the program celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Building community
July 27, 2026
The inaugural Ultra-SLP Conference brought together clinicians and researchers from across the country to advance the practice of using ultrasound technology to treat disorders of speech and swallowing.
The subtle changes in hearing you should never ignore
July 24, 2026
It’s easy to dismiss changes in hearing as minor. But as The Washington Post recently reported, these symptoms could also signal a medical emergency that many people don’t recognize — known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a rapid decline in hearing that occurs suddenly or over a few days.