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Arnold and Muriel Rosen’s generosity, vision and love for the arts led to the inception of An Appalachian Summer Festival in 1984, the university’s highly regarded annual summer festival of the performing and visual arts.

The Rosens’ daughter Nancy Schaffel and her husband, Neil, continue to share their deep relationship to the arts, the High Country and support of the festival through a new competition.

Rosen-Schaffel Young Artist Competition

With generous underwriting from the Schaffels, the Rosen-Schaffel Young Artist Competition, named in honor of the Rosens and Schaffels, was created to continue the Rosen legacy in memory of Arnold and Muriel Rosen. Muriel was involved with the planning stages of the competition before her death Dec. 12, 2009.

Staff from An Appalachian Summer Festival and Appalachian’s Hayes School of Music collaborated to develop the framework for the program, building on the concept proposed by the Schaffels, and formalized the competition as a new element of the summer festival.

This competition invites young artists – including rising seniors or recent graduates – nominated by accredited North Carolina colleges or universities to be judged by a panel of distinguished musicians from across North Carolina. Each participating institution was allowed to nominate four semi-finalists in the following categories: strings (including guitar and harp), winds/brass, voice and piano/percussion.

Preliminary round jurors from North Carolina institutions chose eight finalists to perform in the final round of the Young Artist Competition on July 24 in Rosen Concert Hall. During the final round, jurors selected a first- and second-place winner and with the help of the audience, an Audience Choice award. During the competition, jurors decided to recognize a third-place winner.

The jurors of the final round consisted of three highly respected conductors: Gerard Schwarz of the Seattle Symphony and the Eastern Music Festival, Robert Moody of the Winston Salem and Portland Symphonies and Jacomo Bairos of the Charlotte Symphony.

“Competitions like this are important for young classical artists,” said 24-year-old Ben Robinette, first-place winner. “The healthy spirit of competition is always a nice thing to use to push yourself and people around you to stay on top of your musical endeavors. For young musicians who haven’t had this experience before, it’s something they need to experience and cherish while they can still get it.”

Along with a cash prize of $1,500, the first-place winner is being invited to perform with the Eastern Festival Orchestra as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival’s 2012 season. The second-place winner received a cash prize of $1,000, the Audience Choice winner received a cash prize of $500 and the third-place winner received recognition.

“We wanted to give young musicians a chance to get out there and give them the opportunity to perform,” said Nancy Schaffel. “The original mission statement of An Appalachian Summer Festival was to showcase young American talent. This competition does that, along with bringing the community together.”

Neil Schaffel added, “The competition has refreshed and renewed the festival’s original mission statement and has given classical musicians from the universities of North Carolina an opportunity to showcase their talent.”

Continuing the legacy

Neither the Rosens nor the Schaffels attended Appalachian. The Rosens became seasonal residents of the High Country nearly 30 years ago. Originally from south Florida, they brought their appreciation for the fine arts when they became founding patrons of An Appalachian Summer Festival.

Muriel Rosen also served as a member of the advisory boards for An Appalachian Summer Festival and Appalachian’s Hayes School of Music, which enrolls students pursuing careers in music performance, music education, composition/theory and more. The couple helped establish the Hayes School of Music’s Appal PIE scholarship program and provided full scholarships to 10 music students since the program’s establishment in 1997.

Growing up with the festival and her parents as a key influence, Nancy Schaffel’s exposure to the arts led to her appreciation of classical music and of the High Country. The couple continue to be seasonal residents. They currently live in Parkland, Fla., while running a law practice in Coral Springs, Fla.

Like the Rosens, the Schaffels have also served as board members with An Appalachian Summer Festival. “Neil and Nancy have continued the legacy of Arnold and Muriel through their role as generous donors, as well as valued leaders committed to the growth and development of the festival,” said Denise Ringler, director of the Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, which presents An Appalachian Summer Festival. “Nancy and Neil are truly members of the university family, and the festival family.”

Nancy Schaffel said, “This is everything my parents have ever wanted. They were big believers in education and helping young people.”

To learn more about how you may positively impact Appalachian students and programs, visit www.give.appstate.edu.