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Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship
Endowed by Betty Jo and Kathy Schmidt in memory of Dr. Robert Hawkins and in honor of Kathryn Morris Hawkins. Born in 1919 in Sullivan, Indiana, Robert Hawkins entered Indiana State University in 1937 as a Harold Bright Scholarship recipient (awarded for clarinet performance and excellence in student conducting), Upon graduation, he was named Director of the Indiana State Marching Band until his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in 1942. He served until an honorable discharge brought him home from Okinawa in 1945. Two years later he completed a Master of Music degree from Indiana State and then continued graduate work at Columbia University in New York, receiving a PhD in 1951.He then became Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Western State college in Gunnison, Colorado. Over his sixteen years there, he was named Chairman of the Music Department and Director of the Gunnison Music Camp, which grew in size and reputation throughout the Rocky Mountain region and the nation. Western State College bands traveled widely, performing at the New York World's Fair and Radio city Music Hall, among other venues. In 1967, Dr. Hawkins was approached by administrators at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky to continue his work there. Because of a wider scope of opportunities offered there, he accepted and became Conductor of University Marching and Symphony Bands and Director of the Daniel Boone Forest Music Camp. These years included highlights such as representing the state of Kentucky at the Presidential Inaugural in 1973 and performing at the 1975 Kentucky Derby, Dr. Hawkins has also served as a frequent guest conductor for the Boston Pops, the U.S. Navy Band and the U.C.L,A. Symphonic Band, among many other organizations. He also published three books of arrangements and transcriptions for marching band and orchestra. Dr. Hawkins conducted a series of orchestral recordings for Century Records Co., many of which consisted of his own transcriptions of orchestra literature, from Brahms and Rachmaninoff right up to Grofe and Rozsa. In 1967 Dr. Hawkins brought with him to Morehead State University the Kathy Schmidt Memorial Scholarship, honoring an outstanding music student from Western State College. This program recruited and made possible the studies of a number of talented music majors at Morehead.
Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial
Scholarship 2010-2011 Recipient - Kevin
Callihan Jr from Kentucky
Dr. Robert Hawkins Memorial Scholarship |
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Updated June 2010 |
