By: Mary Genson | Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle | Published April 20, 2026
BIRMINGHAM — Three local music students have been awarded scholarships by the Birmingham Concert Band. The scholarship program has been run annually by BCB since 1979, totalling around $100,000 in scholarships over the years.
“The heart of our mission statement as an organization is to promote music and the musical arts by educational and charitable means,” BCB Student Scholarship Committee Chair Stephanie Karisny said.
The three students were honored at the Birmingham Concert Band April 19 at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
Three separate scholarships were given each highlighting music students in a different age bracket.
To apply, students sent in a solo audition video, a letter of recommendation from their band director or private lessons teacher and a short essay explaining why they believe they are deserving of the scholarship award.
Each student received a $2,000 award to go towards furthering their musical education.
“All three of these students this year, all of their applications demonstrated really extraordinary dedication to their own musical education. All of these winners are students that are actively and independently seeking out new opportunities and new avenues to improve themselves and grow as musicians,” said Karisny.
The Rob Olson Honorary Scholarship
The Rob Olson Honorary Scholarship is awarded to woodwind, brass and percussion students in grades one-eight. It is sponsored by Realtor Christine Lynn, The Agency Hall & Hunter, and is named after a charter member of the Birmingham Concert Band, Rob Olson.
Olson played trumpet with the band and was the leader of the BCB’s Straw Hat Band. The proceeds for this subset of the BCB contributed proceeds from concerts to the scholarship program.
This year’s scholarship recipient is Lael Lee, a clarinetist and Hart Middle School eighth grader.
“I’m very grateful for getting the scholarship, because now I can, like, experience more opportunities and learn more things,” Lee said.
“What we thought was particularly notable about her application was really just the technical proficiency and the maturity of tone she demonstrated in her audition,” Karisny said.
Lee will be using the scholarship money towards private lessons and the orchestra that she participates in.
“I really like creating music with others, and because I love feeling the sense of, like, team — teamwork,” Lee said.
The Dave Falvay Honorary Scholarship
The Dave Falvay Honorary Scholarship is for students in grades nine-10 who play woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. Dave Falvay, a founding member of the BCB and the Straw Hat Band, played trombone with the band.
Andrew Zheng, a clarinetist and Detroit Country Day School sophomore, is this year’s honoree. He will be using the scholarship to go to Interlochen Arts Camp this summer, attending the advanced clarinet intensive.
“The drive and the desire to improve himself and seek out that level of music education in the first place really speaks to his dedication to his own musicianship, and we thought that was really impressive,” Karisny said.
“This opportunity, I feel, is exciting to me, because after I had gone to Blue Lake, I saw a lot of improvement in my playing, and then I was looking to do the same this year, dedicating more time to clarinet, because I’m heading into junior and then senior year, where I will have more opportunity to compete and then, hopefully, win concerto competitions and compete at the highest level,” Zheng said.
The Grant Hoemke Honorary Scholarship
The Grant Hoemke Honorary Scholarship is awarded to woodwind, brass and percussion students in grades 11-12. Grant Hoemke was the Music director and conductor of the BCB for 33 years and now serves as the music director emeritus. He plays bass clarinet and French horn with the band and is the librarian for the band.
Bradlee Coggins, percussionist and Holly High School senior, received this year’s scholarship. When he was in 10th grade, he also received the Dave Falvay Honorary Scholarship.
“It means a lot more to me than normal scholarship because I’ve been applying to scholarships through the Birmingham Concert Band for three years now, and it makes me feel really proud of myself to be able to show that all my hard work has paid off at two different points,” Coggins said.
Coggins will be attending the University of Michigan to pursue a dual degree in percussion performance and economics.
“Bradlee has a drive and a clarity of purpose that I think is not just in his music, but kind of in his life in general, that I think is hard to find even in full-grown adults, much less high school seniors on the cusp of graduation, and I just can’t wait to see what he is going to accomplish musically at U of M, because I think he has so much promise,” Karisny said.