John Torrenti Scholarship
John Torrenti was a touchstone within the musical community along the Connecticut shoreline for over 6 decades. Born in Middletown in 1934, John showed talent at an early age. As he grew up, his skills were honed and refined, later earning Bachelors and Masters degrees at his beloved Ithaca College. After years of study, John came back to Connecticut and settled in Old Saybrook, where John was Director of Music at Old Saybrook High School from 1957 through 1992. He was a piano instructor here at Thames Valley Music School from 1992 up to his passing in 2020. Over the course of those years John brought the joy of music and playing the piano into the lives of countless students through one-on-one lessons, mentoring and pure inspiration. A lover of both Opera and Musical Theatre, he spread appreciation of those art forms by mounting 35 student productions in Old Saybrook as well as vividly recalling and describing the many productions he attended on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, where he was a season ticket holder. John’s tireless devotion to Thames Valley Music School continued even after his passing when, through his and his family’s benevolence and generosity, his beloved Steinway piano was bequeathed to the school. Now we are both excited and pleased to announce a scholarship program in John’s honor through a generous bequest from the estate of one of John’s appreciative students.
Donors
Richard & Sharon Torrenti were John’s brother and sister-in-law who graciously donated the beautiful Steinway piano in his honor.
Laurie Chipperfield studied with John for many years and was, like so many other Thames Valley Students, profoundly impacted by knowing John and studying with him. Upon her untimely passing, it was directed that funds from her estate be gifted to the school in her memory, but to be used as scholarship funds in John’s honor.
Scholarship Info
This scholarship will be divided into three separate awards for piano students:
- Two merit-based prizes of $500 each
- winners will be required to participate in end-of-year recital.
- One annual piano competition with a 1st place prize of $750 and 2nd place prize of $500
More info coming soon!
How To Give To This Scholarship:
