The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Music Department and Choral Activities introduce the most recent recipient of the Glenn Draper Scholarship Fund, Ms. Leigh Wattenbarger.

The Glenn Draper Music Scholarship is awarded to a student who has completed two successive years in UTC Choral Activities and has demonstrated successful academic performance. The scholarship was established in 2002 by friends and colleagues of Glenn Draper and is funded through a UC foundation endowment.

This year’s recipient, Ms. Wattenbarger, from Rossville, is a senior majoring in Exceptional Learning at UTC. Although Ms. Wattenbarger is an education major, she has been deeply involved with the Music Department. She is currently minoring in vocal performance under Professor Perry Ward and has been a member of UTC’s Chamber Singers for three years. In addition, she is now officiating in her first year as the Chamber Singers’ President. Ms. Wattenbarger has also sung with UTC’s Chattanooga Singers and has worked closely with the Choral Activities office. Both the Chattanooga Singers and the Chamber Singers are under the direction of Dr. Kevin Ford.

Despite her busy schedule, Ms. Wattenbarger has been involved in lead roles in productions such as The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Into the Woods, The Music Man, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Grease, and A Charlie Brown Christmas, as well as UTC Opera’s production of Mozart’s “The Impressario”.  In addition, she has sung at several venues at rallies and gatherings. An industrious student, she has recently started working as a volunteer choir director at Rossville Elementary School, where she first started singing in fourth grade. Ms. Wattenbarger also works diligently towards raising awareness for colon cancer.

Glenn Draper came to Chattanooga in 1968 and spent more than 30 years as director of Choral Activities and professor of Music at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and director of Music at First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga. During his illustrious career, he directed singers’ performances before heads of state, including every U.S. President since Richard Nixon and British Royalty. In addition, he has led 49 international concert tours and countless American tours.

His groups, including the Chattanooga Singers and the Singing Mocs at UTC, have performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles, Australia’s Sydney Opera House and in concert with such renowned performers as Perry Como, Tony Bennett and Liberace. They have also performed for national audiences on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “The Hour of Power”. He has traveled with his singers across the globe and received numerous awards and commendations. Mr. Draper is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the National Association of Teachers of Singing and, Rotary Club International.