Tackett Receives Scholarship to Illinois Wesleyan’s School of Music
Senior Tiffany Tackett of Armington received a scholarship at Illinois Wesleyan University’s School of Music on Saturday, February 6th.
Tackett auditioned on November 14, 2009 for the scholarship. “It was a long wait!” said Tackett. “I didn’t expect to get it. I was very shocked to see that I’d received a scholarship along with being accepted.” When asked if Tackett was nervous, she replied, “Yes… I was very nervous. The room was big, and I couldn’t mess this up!”
Over Tackett’s music career, she has been honored with roles in The Music Man, Beauty and the Beast, and as the lead female role in The Sound of Music. Tackett has been in chorus since her freshman year. In addition to this, she has also participated for the past three years in chamber choir, which is the honors choir at Olympia High School, along with being Queen of Madrigals 2009. She has taken part in Solo and Ensemble contests and has received six division 1 ratings.
Tackett also has sung at the Kentuckiana Opry and has sung solos at Friday Saturday Nite Live, Ebenezer United Methodist Church, and occasionally at the high school choral concerts. She has also attended a musical theatre camp at the University of Illinois in summer of 2009, and has made IMEA All State Choir for the past two years.
Some of her goals towards her music career are to be more confident when she is on stage, and to possibly get a good part in a musical. “I just want to be successful in my studies.”
When asked about the school itself, she answered, “I knew Wesleyan was in my top choices, but I wasn’t positive until I visited the school… It has everything I want, and it’s small. I’m not big on going to huge schools.”
Mrs. Debbie Aurelius-Muir, Jr. High and High School music teacher at Olympia, stated, “Tiffany is that wonderful combination of talent and dedication. She has been a joy to work with these last 3 years… I am so proud that IWU recognized how talented she is by offering her this scholarship to advance her studies!”
Proud parents and number one fans, Brian and Lynn Tackett, also commented on their daughter’s achievement, “We are very happy for her and proud. Wesleyan will be getting just as much of an award from her attending their school as she will get from them.”
Tackett is not committed yet to Illinois Wesleyan at this time and continues to audition at other colleges to keep her options open.
