This year’s Thomas E. Anderson Scholarship recipient is awarded to Taysia Petersen. Taysia is a junior at Emerald Ridge High School and has been studying oboe for seven years. Taysia serves as principal oboist in her school’s Symphonic Winds. She has participated in the Western International Band Clinic for two years and has been a part of WMEA Junior and Senior All-State Band and Orchestra for three years. Taysia was appointed principal oboe for the WMEA 2018 All-State Orchestra and the PLU 2018 Northwest High School Honor Band. She is also a member of the Tacoma Youth Symphony. She has competed at State Solo Contest for three years and has attended oboe workshops at Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Washington. In October of 2018, Taysia will travel to Australia for the Pacific Honours Ensemble Program. After graduating in 2019, she plans to pursue music performance in college and as a career.
Taysia is very excited to have been given this exceptional opportunity and is grateful to the South Sound Symphonic Band. She thanks her current and past band directors, Mr. Scott Fry and Mr. Bob Rink, her oboe instructor, Ms. Sharon Long, for their guidance and instruction, and her family for their loving support.