Sister Rita Clare Music Scholarship Past Recipients

2023

Mathew Mulvihill

The 2023 Sister Rita Clare Scholarship has been awarded to Matthew Mulvihill, a recent graduate of Riverview Rural High School in Coxheath, Nova Scotia. (Advanced Certificate and French Immersion Certificate)

Matthew will begin his Bachelor of Music degree in the fall at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. He has selected trumpet as his principal applied study.
Matthew has received national recognition from the Royal Conservatory of Music, winning the National Gold Medal of Achievement for Trumpet in 2021. Matthew has also been a long time student of piano and theory, studying under Katherine Fraser. He is a trumpet student of Tyler Campbell and has studied at Riverview with Monica MacNeil.


Matthew, who has been a member of the Cape Breton Orchestra, (principal trumpet) Second Wind Community Band, Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble and Nova Scotia Honour Jazz, plans to pursue a career in trumpet performance.

Matthew has also been recognized with/awarded the following:
Mount Allison University President’s Scholarship and the Pickard Music Scholarship
Cobequid Arts Council Bursary
Russell LeBlanc Memorial Music Scholarship
Dorthy Dean Wilkinson Scholarship (Kiwanis Festival of Music, Speech, and Drama)
Phone Chiasson Choral Music Bursary (CB Chordsmen)
Congregation of Notre Dame - Marguerite Bourgeoys Bursary
Sydney Rotary Club Wilkinson Memorial Scholarship
NSTU CB District Local Scholarship
CB Island Building and Construction Trades Council
RHS Student Council Award

Matthew was also a finalist in the Minister’s Awards for Creative Excellence for the province of Nova Scotia and has also been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II medal from Riverview Rural High School. (for superior academic achievement and outstanding record in school and community involvement)

Congratulations to Matthew and to all our scholarship applicants. Wishing you every success!

2022

IMG 2298

The Cape Breton Chorale is pleased to award the Sister Rita Clare Scholarship to Ethan Walter, who is a member of the Class of 2022 and who has recently graduated from Glace Bay High School.

Ethan is a student who immerses himself in all aspects of music, from participating in his school's concert band and jazz band to performing at local establishments as a soloist and performing in collaboration with the Cape Breton Orchestra as their principal clarinetist. He was a previous four-year member of the Nova Scotia Junior Wind Ensemble and a current member of the Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra. Ethan's dedication to music has earned him several awards and honors. In particular, he is the winner of the 2022 Minister's Award for Excellence in Performing Arts (sponsored by the NS Dept of Education in partnership with the Art Gallery of NS) and the winner of the 2022 James H. Hargreaves Memorial Scholarship. His primary instruments are the clarinet and piano, and he plans to study at Mount Allison in their respected Bachelor of Music Program in the fall.

The Cape Breton Chorale congratulates all  applicants on their graduation. These students were strong candidates and leaders in their school communities.

2020

Nellena Gilmet

Nellena Gilmet of Glace Bay is the 2020 recipient of the Sister Rita Clare Music Scholarship. Nellena is beginning her studies in the Bachelor of Music program at Acadia University. Her primary instruments are flute and piano. She aspires to become a music educator and conductor.

2018 

Daniel Mulvihill

I am very grateful to have received this scholarship in 2018. I know how influential Sister Rita Clare was in the field  of music in Cape Breton. I'm proud to have received a scholarship dedicated to such a well respected educator and promoter of the arts.  - Daniel Mulvihill, (entering 3rd yr) BMusic Mt. Allison University.

2014

Reid Headshot

Growing up in Cape Breton, I was constantly surrounded by music and influenced by the tight-knit, musical community around me. I believe it is fair to say that nearly everyone had a connection, story, or support from Sr. Rita Clare in one way or another. With that in mind, I was delighted to have received this scholarship in honour of such an important pillar of our community. At the time, my musical studies were only just beginning! Having this sort of support meant the world to me as I started my journey and still brings me great joy today, knowing that my community believed in me and helped me on my way. A very large part of what I do today comes from my roots in Cape Breton and I am so grateful for that! - Morgan Reid

From 2014 to 2018, Morgan attended Mount Allison University for a Bachelor of Music, studying voice performance. She then moved to Toronto, attending the University of Toronto for a Master of Music in Voice Performance (2018-2020) and has just entered into her first year of Doctoral studies in U of T’s Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance program. She works as a private voice teacher for classical and musical theatre voice, as an arts administrator, and, of course, frequently performs in a variety of concerts, recitals, opera, and musical theatre. Morgan often returns home to Nova Scotia to perform, with her most recent engagements at the Highland Arts Theatre (Sydney, NS) and Halifax Summer Opera Festival (Halifax, NS).