Bates
Winners of the 2026 Brown Music Awards have been announced by the Heritage Fund.
Homeschooled senior Gabriel Boggs and Columbus North senior Francesca Bates as the winners, honored at the Saturday competition at the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Helen Haddad Hall.
Boggs, a violin student of instructor Laura Andrews, won the Betty F. Brown Awards for Instrumental Excellence, performing “Concerto in A Minor, Allegro” by Vivaldi.
Bates, a soprano student of instructor Jenny Heichelbech, won the Anna Newell Brown Awards for Vocal Excellence, singing “Sento Nel Core” by Scarlatti and “I’ve Been Roaming” by Horn.
Each student will receive a $3,500 scholarship award.
Twenty-eight students participated in the annual competition. Other senior award winners were:
Instrumental
• Providence Wofford, $1,250
• Carrie Wang, $1,250
Vocal
• Elizabeth Alderfer, $1,500
• Danni Riley, $500
• Annie Green, $500
Underclass award winners were:
Instrumental
• Tyce Branham, $2,000
• Everly Harrison, $1,000
• Elisabeth Laws, $1,000
• Andrew Mohs, $1,000
• Audrey Nye, $1,000
Vocal
• Ava Burbrink, $3,000
• Liliana Martinez, $2,000
• Addy Newman, $1,000
Judges for the event were: Susan Chan, violist, New Century String Quartet and Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra and adjunct faculty, University of Indianapolis; James Helton, professor of music performance and coordinator of keyboard area, Ball State University; Lissa F. May, professor of music education, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University; Paulina Villarreal, assistant professor of voice, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University; Thomas Studebaker, lecturer of voice, Central Michigan University; and Zachary Coates, lecturer of music, voice, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.
The Betty F. Brown Awards for Instrumental Excellence were established by Bob Brown in 1992 in memory of his wife, Betty. She was a well-known and highly respected advocate and patron of the arts, both locally and statewide.
The Anna Newell Brown Awards for Vocal Excellence were established through the Heritage Fund in 1985 by Bob and Betty to honor Mr. Brown’s mother, Anna Newell Brown. She was a distinguished vocalist and contributed greatly to the cultural life of the Bartholomew County Community.
Bob Brown was the longtime chairman of Home News Enterprises, The Republic’s former parent company. He also served as chairman of the Heritage Fund Board from 1980 to 1983, during which the foundation awarded its first grant – a $500 award for the Art in Public Places Program.
Both competitions are administered annually by Heritage Fund.