Akseli Mende, a violist and recent CMC graduate, is the most recent recipient of the award. Akseli graduated from Ida B. Wells in 2021 and after a gap year has been studying in a music degree program at St. Olaf College. The grant from CMC's Dyer Award made it possible for him to attend the Magic Mountain Music program with Burton Kaplan this past summer. 

Akseli's CMC instructors and coaches included Andrew Ehrlich, Michelle Rahn, Katherine Schultz, Marissa Winship, and Lisa Zweben.

Akseli will share with the CMC community what he learned from the experience in a webinar in January. Watch our social media feed for details!

This article has been updated from the version appearing in the printed December Notes.