2023 Winner - Piano Scholarship

Thomas Gilchrist, a junior at Parkland High School, has studied piano for 12 years with Darlene Ziegler. He won the Aikens-Cadman award (2022), the Paderewski Medal (2022), and Mansfield University Piano Competition's 1st Place Award (2020). He also received multiple awards from the Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs, and has been honored at various music festivals and competitions for 11 years. Thomas attended the Curtis Institute of Music's Young Artist Summer Program (2020) and plans to attend Boston University Tanglewood Institute's Young Artist Piano Program in 2023.

In addition, Thomas receives cello instruction from Audrey Simons at Moravian University and performs with various groups, including the Moravian University Baroque Ensemble and Zimmermann's Coffee House presented by the Bach Choir of Bethlehem. He also studies music composition under Dr. Larry Lipkis of Moravian University, creating music for the Lehigh University NeuroSalon Project (2022-2023), the Bach Choir of Bethlehem's Chaconne Project at Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University, and Bethlehem's Festival UnBound play "The Secret" at the Bethlehem Touchstone Theatre.

Thomas engages in charitable activities such as teaching through The No Repeats Project and participating in fundraisers like the Hanna Young Play-a-thon. He plays varsity tennis, leads his school's scholastic scrimmage team, founded the school's literary magazine, serves as a ruling elder at his church, and enjoys skiing and reading.