Sarah Sewell and Bobby Wolfe, both seniors at Altus High School, have been named recipients of music scholarships from the MacDowell Club of Allied Arts of Altus. Both Sewell and Wolfe auditioned for the scholarships and club members were very impressed with the talent of both young people.

Sewell is the daughter of Mark and Annette Sewell and hopes to attend Oklahoma City University in the fall and purse a degree in vocal performance. She has been a member of the Chamber Choir for three years, the All-Region Honor Choir for five years, and the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute Chorus for two years. She has been an oboe player in band for seven years and has also been selected for the All-Region Honor Band for six years.

In recommending Sewell for the scholarship, Paul Graves, choir director at Altus High School, wrote “Sarah is an outstanding young woman; Over the past three years, I have seen Sarah’s interest in music and singing grow and mature. She is very enthusiastic and willing to work hard to achieve the high standards she has set for herself.”

When interviewed by the club following her performance, Sewell said that she has “a true passion and love for music.”

Bobby Wolfe is the son of Robert and Virginia Wolfe and hopes to enroll in Southwest Oklahoma State University in the fall and pursue a degree in music education. Wolfe plays the clarinet, guitar, violin, and piano. He has been in the band for seven years, the All Region Band for seven years, and the All State Band one year. He has played in the AHS Jazz Band for four years and the WOSC Musical Orchestra for four years as well as teaching private guitar lessons for two years. Wolfe is also on the AHS track and soccer teams and has served as an Altus City League Soccer Referee and an Assistant Instructor at Yoon’s Taekwondo, having earned a 2nd degree black belt in 2005. Wolfe has been on the Superintendent’s Honor for all twelve years of his schooling and in the Gifted and Talented Program for nine years.

In recommending him for the scholarship, Mary Runyan, director of the AHS Band, wrote, “I have been teaching twenty-nine years and Bobby is one of the most talented students that I have taught. He not only excels on the clarinet but he is equally talented on the guitar. I am honored to recommend this student without reservation.”

Sewell, a first soprano, performed Isetu Ami So Spiri by Pergolesi and O Divine Redeemer by Gouno. She was accompanied by her vocal instructor Nancy Cox.

Wolfe played two pieces from a Clarinet Studies Collection and then three guitar solos – Veruno Porteno by Piazzolla, Rondo in A Minor by Aguado, and Prelude No. 3 in A Minor by Hector Villa-Lobos.