The Jr. Philharmonic Society of New Orleans

Congratulations on a Fabulous 290th Program, April 27th 2025

Congratulations on a fabulous 289th Concert!

March 30,2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners!

The awards will be given out at the first concert in 2026!

The Scholarship AwardChristopher-Lawson Palmer, voice

The Scholarship Award was the first award given by the society. It was begun by Minette Starts, a long-time board member who raised the money to get it started. It is a cash award given for continuing studies.

The Irving Carr Award- Joshua Jeon, piano

The Irving Carr Award is a cash award and plaque given on the basis of potential. It was started by the board of directors in honor of Irving Carr, the husband of Irene Carr Huggins. Ms. Huggins was president at the time and a long-time active board member.

The John Tobin Award-Mary Ella Bozeman, voice

This cash award and plaque is given in honor of John Tobin, a very talented musician who performed in Junior Philharmonic concerts many times. Funding for this award was included in his mother’s will and the award is given for an outstanding performance.

The Platzer Award- Dasha Sandomirsky, piano

The Platzer Award was started by Ms. Bobbe Ritter in honor of her parents. It is a cash award and plaque given to a young musician for Artistic Excellence in Music.

The Emily Friend Bayle Award Laura Vu, flute and Tiffany Chen, violin

The Emily Bayle Award is a cash award and plaque given to a junior performer, eighth grade or younger, for artistic excellence. Mrs. Bayle was very active in the early years of the Jr. Philharmonic Society, happy to share her great love of music with young people and encourage them to perform and appreciate the arts as much as she did.

The Lawrence and Victoria Blanchard Ensemble Award- Brett Massimi and Jeremy Xu

The Lawrence and Victoria Blanchard Ensemble Award is a  cash award given to an ensemble for an outstanding performance. It is given in honor of Lawrence and Victoria Blanchard. Mrs. Blanchard was President of the Board for many years.

The Gayle Parmelee Award for Dance- Bernice Ceccini, dance

The Gayle Parmelee Award is named after long time board member Gayle Parmelee-esteemed dancer and teacher.

The Junior Philharmonic Society of New Orleans welcomes tax-deductible contributions from members of the public who want to invest in the cultural future of our city. Contributions are our only means of financial support, so please consider becoming part of an organization that provides performance opportunities to young artists from throughout Louisiana. Please help us to continue the tradition of showcasing our talented youth on stage! P.O. Box 13095, New Orleans, LA 70185-3095

Need more info?

You can see past programs, photos and newspaper articles on the Tulane Digital Library

Please contact us anytime! Our e-mail address is: jrphilharmonic1@gmail.com.

You can also write to us at our post office box: Junior Philharmonic Society of New Orleans, P.O. Box 13095, New Orleans, LA 70185-3095. We look forward to hearing from you.