MUSE Announces Winners of the Harold Wheeler and Linda Twine Scholarships

Musicians United for Social Equity (MUSE) has announced the winners of their two scholarships supporting BIPOC musicians pursuing a career in theatre.

The organization's inaugural scholarships being awarded today are to Zachary Mullings and Julia Riew, both of whom have demonstrated exemplary strengths and talent in their respective field. Zachary is receiving the MUSE Harold Wheeler Scholarship which dedicates $2500 to one aspiring professional musician who is working in theatre, and Julia is receiving the MUSE Linda Twine Scholarship, which offers $2500 for one student-enrolled musician who plans to pursue employment in the theatre industry.

Zachary Mullings is a 2014 graduate of Berklee College of Music, who has performed live with a number of artists including Chance the Rapper on Saturday Night Live and Kevin Garrett on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and has also served as drum-sub on Broadway favorites Dear Evan Hansen and Diana: The Musical. "I am elated and exceedingly grateful to the MUSE team for honoring me with the Harold Wheeler Scholarship," says Zachary. "I believe in what MUSE stands for, and will use this humbling opportunity as a springboard to grow in my craft, to work hard in my projects, and to champion other BIPOC creatives just like me!"

Julia Riew is a Korean-American musical theater composer, lyricist, and playwright who will be graduating from Harvard in 2022, where she co-founded the Harvard College Asian Student Arts Project (ASAP), a club created to provide resources and community for Asian student artists. She was also the recipient of the 2020 Radcliffe Doris Cohen Levi Musical Theater Prize. "Thank you so much to everyone in the MUSE Community, especially the MUSE founders and the selection committee, for this incredible opportunity," says Julia. "My dream has always been to join the Broadway community and help uplift the voices of underrepresented artists, and I now feel like I am one step closer to achieving that dream. It is such an honor!"

The scholarships are one of MUSE's many initiatives designed to increase access to career opportunities in theatre for underrepresented groups and young musicians of color. Each scholarship granted also includes one-on-one consultation with MUSE founding members who can share their experience, advice, and expertise with the recipient.

Co-founded by Kenny Seymour (Memphis, Ain't Too Proud) and Stephen Oremus (Wicked, Kinky Boots), along with a board of award-winning musicians such as Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen), Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Mean Girls), and Zane Mark (Motown the Musical), MUSE aims to highlight the work and talent of diverse musicians and artists in the music/theater world.

MUSE has been founded with the mission to cultivate more racial equity in theatrical music departments by providing access, internships, mentorships, and support to historically marginalized people of color. MUSE welcomes all musicians of color to join its free membership, which offers mentoring and networking opportunities as well as access to their job board and a listing on their directory.

To become a member: https://museonline.org/join/

To support and donate: https://museonline.org/donate/