MONTICELLO – The 2025 Eugene D. Nesin Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Music was awarded to Monticello High School Senior Belle Zhou.  Belle will be attending the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in the Fall. 

Belle attended the Berklee College of Music’s Global String Program, New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute and played in the first violin section of the NYSSMA All-State Symphony Orchestra.  Music has been a big part of her life. Belle also helped as a teaching assistant at Nesin Cultural Arts, a non-profit organization providing art, music, dance, and theatre classes for Sullivan County students in K – 12 grades.  In addition, she is actively involved in other community services projects.

Belle wrote in her essay –  “These experiences allowed me to understand the importance and impact of arts education in an underprivileged community, as well as how music can help bring people together.

Nesin Cultural Arts is very proud to support her further studies in music.