The National Federation of Music Clubs has awarded gold cups to 41 area piano, voice and strings students who participated in the annual North Gainesville Music Festival held recently at Brenau University.

The highest awards went to two students who received 45-point Gold Cups in Piano Solo. They are Michael DiIorio, student of Keith Jefcoat; and Abby Cooley, student of You Ju Lee.

Students receiving 30-point gold cups were: Piano students, Carlee Cosper, student of Josephine Cosper; Callie Sartain, student of Beth Lawrence; Elle Hefner and Isabella Robbins, both students of Sherry Franklin; Ellie Peterson, student of Keith Jefcoat; Marcelle Zavala, student of Donna Kirkindoll; and Lauren Page, student of Sara Harris.

The following piano students received 15-point gold cups:

Piano students: Amanda Guasti-Nugent, student of Beth Lawrence; Joseph Ball, William Ball, Ginnie Highsmith, students of Sheryl Lynn Franklin; Ryan Ball, Morgan Lomax and Kylie Stasierowski, students of Danielle Aikens; Rachel Gheorghies, Rebekah Gheorghies, Steven Peterson, students of Keith Jefcoat; Saylor Sniatecki, student of Nicole Parks; Caroline Bennett, student of Leana Haupt; Amanda Bateman, Sarah Catherine Fordham, Avery Gratehouse, Louisa Leimbach, Jill Pratt, Anna Tolbert students of Donna Kirkindoll; Manci McMullan and Marlee McMullan, students of Jeff Shaw; Diego Bulos, Lacey Chamberlain, Manavi Rao, Emily Nizialek, Symonne Stryjewski, Ben Pham, Christopher Pham, students of Martha Carroll; and Hayden Roper, student of Sharon Collins.

Also receiving 15-point gold cups were Carson Ball, voice student of Hannah Chapman; Emma Tillirson, violin student of Martha Carroll; and Brenna Martin, violin student of Laurin Smith.

Jesse Jamerson, adult student of Keith Jefcoat, received a 15-point Silver Cup.

From the 188 superior ratings awarded at the music festival, the highest honor went to Benjamin Jobson, son of Andrew and Elizabeth Jobson, Gainesville. The piano student of Keith Jefcoat, was awarded a special national honor certificate for receiving superior ratings in piano solo for eight consecutive years.

Seven-year certificates were given to Rachel Waterer, student of Priscilla Jefcoat; Hannah Byrd and Olivia Gratehouse, students of Donna Kirkindoll.

Six-year certificates were awarded to Carlee Cosper, student of Josephine Cosper; Isabella Robbins, student of Sherry Franklin; Ellie Peterson, student of Keith Jefcoat and Marcell Zavala, student of Donna Kirkindoll.

Other piano students receiving national certificates for superior ratings this year were: Maggie Abboud, Mona Abboud, John Bentley, Luke Bentley, Ashton Blehm, Nolen Bryant, Katie Burchfield, Sarah Campbell, Suzanna Durand, Amanda Guasti-Nugent, Allie Heard, Jack Mercer, Cristina Morell, Jessica Morell, Kristina Nash, Beth Odum, Mary Keys Payne, Samantha Reed, Catherine Sartain, Susanna Sartain, Adelaide Stewart, Benjamin Andrew, Lillian Henry, Boone Alexander, Maggie Auffarth, Joseph Ball, William Ball, Elle Hefner, Ginnie Highsmith, Julia Jasion, Ryan Jasion, Hannah Kelly, Knox Murphy, Olivia Robbins, Will Robbins, Mary Griffin Romberg, Julia Truelove, Caylee Wagner, Carson Ball, Ryan Ball, Leyland Bolt, Morgan Lomax, Kylie Stasierowski, Caroline Bennett, Payton Abercrombie, Max Brand, Michael DiIorio, Hayley Duncan, Sarah Garner, Rachel Gheorghies, Rebekah Gheorghies, Abigail Gilleland, Dayton Hare, Fiona Hare, Elizabeth Harwood, Sam Harwood, Jay Hinshaw, Jesse Jamerson, Adam Jobson, Isabel Lourie, Libby Nix, Madilyn Patterson, Paige Patterson, Robbie Peerson, Mary Peterson, Steven Peterson, A.J. Waterer, Jenny Zimler, Nick Boleman, Anna Grace Brock, Charles Davidson, Nicholas Dillard, Rebecca Dillard, Manci McMullan, Marlee McMullan, Chloe Patchin, Lauryn Woodard, Myah Woodard, Julia Chun, Tommy Chun, Gabrielle Diaz, Phil Moon, Marisa Woo, Anna Eades, Laila Hasnain, Dorie Hatchett, Kayla Jackson, Briley Johnakin, Marleigh Jones, Shivany Patel, Sam Patterson, Abbe Piccolo, Corder Pierce, Sarah Robles, Samuel Shoemaker, Saylor Sniatecki, Anna Wylie, Dhruv Gaur, Garv Gaur, Clifford Griffin, John Aaron Jovaag, Vidya Medepalli, Tracy Ngo, John Stenzel, Mark Toth, Gradeigh Barnett, Amanda Bateman, Delaney Benson, McKinley Benson, Elizabeth Bishop, Austin Borland, Taylor Grace Bridges, Kate Bush, Armando Castillo, Lauren Cochran, Timothy Deremer, Anne Marie Dye, Bonnie Evans, Emma Fordham, Sarah Catherine Fordham, Mackenzie Fowler, Avery Gratehouse, Samie Kinsey, Louisa Leimbach, Reagen Leimbach, Roland Mann, Emma Grace Martin, Cory McClung, Kuepper Mikels, McKenna Mikels, Jill Pratt, Sarah Savage, Anna Tolbert, Meredith Tucker, Isabella Valadez, Harrison Wheeler, Ross Bishoff, Madelynn Daniel, Leah Johnson, Bobby Kerr, Lauren Page, Jake Walker, Heath Bailey, Noah Daughtery, Alannah Martin, Hayden Roper, Daniel Bulos, Diego Bulos, Michelle Burkett, Emily Nizialek, Manavi Rao, Jessica Spruiell, Symonne Stryjewski, Holly Tillirson, Ben Pham, Christopher Pham, Meghan Gallamore, Hanka Kirby, Allison Lee, Jordan Madsen, Anna Spillane, Lauren Springsteen, and Kaitlyn Wade.

The following voice and violin students also received superior certificates:

Voice: Richard Floyd, Anna Grace Worley, Carson Ball, Hallie Bauerband, Clarice Walker, Cecilia Castro, Madeline McClurg, Hillary West.

Violin: Laura Chambliss.

The Gainesvile Music Club sponsors Junior Music Festivals in conjunction with the Georgia and National Federations of Music Clubs. All teachers are members of the Gainesville Music Club.

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Jane N. Allen completed the dissertation and requirements for the Doctorate of Healthcare Administration degree in March 2011 from the University of Phoenix .

Allen is the wife of Michael Schwab of Cleveland, and daughter of Lydia Allen and the late Calvin F. Allen Jr. of Gainesville.

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Shorter University student Trey Smagur of Clarkesville won first-place (junior classical men) at the Southeastern Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Shorter University students won 21 awards including seven first-place finishes over the course of two days at the annual auditions held by the Southeastern Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. The competition was held at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro and included students from many of the major vocal music programs in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

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Heath Roper, a alumnus from Gainesville, was recognized at Reinhardt University's recent Honors Day Ceremony. Roper was recognized as a Hugh Peterson Jr. Academic Scholar.

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Trinity Classical School, providing a Christian K-12 education for the area of Habersham, White, Stephens, Rabun, Banks and northern Hall counties, is hosting an open house for the 2011-12 school year today starting at 7 p.m. The school is located at 231 Harvest Church Road in Clarkesville. Contact 706-754-7686 or visit www.trinityclassical.org for more information.

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Nigel Traylor, Lakeview Academy's Middle School music teacher and Assistant Fine Arts Director, defended his dissertation to receive his Doctor of Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership at Nova Southeastern University.

As part of his study, he conducted a voluntary study at Lakeview Academy to examine the impact music instruction has on students' self-efficacy, attitude, motivation and academic achievement. Self-efficacy is defined as belief in one's capabilities to attain a goal or an outcome.

Nigel measured attitude, motivation and self-efficacy via surveys and research data to determine the impact among students at Lakeview Academy. Traylor hopes his findings will provide researched based information to support keeping music programs in schools.