Betty Coale
Young Musician Scholarship
The Betty Coale Young Musician Scholarship grants financial awards to promising middle and high-school instrumentalists and singers. Recipients of this scholarship are featured during Christ Church Cathedral’s summer services.
We are deeply thankful for Harwell Coale’s generous donation in memory of his late wife and for their long-standing support of the music ministry at Christ Church Cathedral. Betty Coale was a cherished member of the Christ Church choir, and we are grateful that her memory lives on in the support of education and performance opportunities for Mobile-area music students.
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2023 Scholarship Recipients
Carter Hale, Jr.
Carter is a rising 6th grader at St. Paul’s Episcopal School. He is an actor and singer. He is a member of the Sunny Side Theater Competition Team, and recently won 1st place and 2nd place in the Duet and Solo categories, respectively, at the National Youth Theatre Exchange (NYTE) in Louisville, KY, and the Alabama Youth Theatre Exchange (AYTE) in Guntersville, AL. He has received vocal lessons from Tony and Emmy award winners and nominees, and takes private vocal lessons from Chris Nemec (Director of Music & Organist at Government Street Presbyterian Church). Carter has performed in over 15 live musical theater shows, many in which he played leading roles. He played Amahl this past Christmas in Christ Church Cathedral’s production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. Carter auditioned for and was accepted into the renowned Broadway Artists Alliance in New York City, where he attended an intensive workshop camp this summer.
Ryan Perry
Ryan graduated from Daphne High School in spring of 2023 with honors including the titles of National Merit Semifinalist and Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors.
This fall he will be attending the University of South Alabama and will study Instrumental Music Education. He has studied for two years underneath the university’s trumpet professor, Dr. Peter Wood. This past season he performed with The Baldwin Pops, Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra, and at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference with the Daphne High School Wind Ensemble.
Emma Pooler
Emma is entering 7th grade and has been studying and performing on violin for the past seven years. She currently trains under Dr. Leonid Yavnoskiy, Professor and Director of Strings and Orchestra, Dr. Grier Williams School of Music, University of West Florida (UWF), and Concertmaster, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, and Professor Blake Riley, Associate Professor and Director of Collaborative Piano, Dr. Grier Williams School of Music, UWF. Emma currently performs weekly as a violin intern with the First Baptist Church Pensacola Orchestra. She has received annual scholarships from 2019 - 2023 to participate in the UWF Stringfest and UWF Piano Week, both advanced summer weekly study and performance programs. Emma was selected to open String Fest 2023 with a solo performance of Paganini Caprice. In 2022 she was selected as a violin finalist by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Northwest Florida Symphony Guild for the 35th Annual John Leatherwood Concerto Competition, Jr. Division. In 2023, as pianist, she participated in the Pensacola Music Teachers Association (PMTA) Sonata Competition, taking first place in the Level 9 Division. In May 2022, Emma competed in the state FMTA Concerto Competition, held at University of Florida (Gainesville), where she took first place in the Junior Division. Emma was accepted and invited to attend musical training at the InterHarmony Music Festival in July 2022, in Acqui Terme, Italy, to receive some of the best strings instruction available to students. Their Strings Program is extensive, intensive, and unique, with the idea of an immersive musical environment allowing for optimal focus on artistic and technical development, studying with an internationally-recognized artist faculty, and meeting musical colleagues from around the globe. It is designed with elements of the Russian school to boost students to the next level of playing. In 2023 Emma volunteered and performed at three separate Benefit Concert for Ukraine events, raising funds for alittlemorehelp.org, a non-profit foundation supporting humanitarian efforts for the people of Ukraine. For the second consecutive year Emma has been recognized as a recipient of the Betty Coale Young Musician Scholarship, by Christ Church Cathedral, Mobile, Alabama.
Matthew Pooler
Matthew will be entering his junior year at Navarre High School, Florida, and has been studying and performing on Cello and Piano for the past 7 years. He currently trains under Dr. Aleksandra Pereverzeva, Adjunct Professor, University of West Florida (UWF), and Principal Cellist, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, and Professor Blake Riley, Associate Professor and Director of Collaborative Piano, Dr. Grier Williams School of Music, UWF. Matthew currently performs weekly as a cellist intern with the First Baptist Church Pensacola Orchestra. In 2022 he was invited by Dr. Sheila Dunn, Associate Professor and Director, Dr. Grier Williams School of Music, UWF, to enroll in their Advanced Symphony Orchestra Course, where Matthew completed his 2nd semester of course study. Matthew will be continuing his music education this fall (2023) at UWF, having been accepted to their Dual-Enrollment Program. Matthew has received annual scholarships from 2019 - 2023 to participate in the UWF Stringfest and UWF Piano Week, both advanced summer weekly study and performance programs. In May 2022 Matthew also received a Summer Music Camp Scholarship from Choctaw Bay Music Club, Niceville, Florida. He has performed in numerous competitions, most recently in the 2023 UWF Music Study Club Competition, earning 1st Place in piano and Runner-Up in cello, the 2023 PMTA Concerto Competition, earning 1st Place in the Strings Division, Sr. Level, and the 2023 PMTA Bill Jennings High School Music Sonata Contest, earning 1st Place in piano. In July 2022, Matthew was accepted and invited to attend musical training at the InterHarmony Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy, to receive some of the best strings instruction available to students. Their Strings Program is extensive, intensive, and unique, with the idea of an immersive musical environment allowing for optimal focus on artistic and technical development, studying with an internationally-recognized artist faculty, and meeting musical colleagues from around the globe. It is designed with elements of the Russian school to boost students to the next level of playing. In 2023 Matthew volunteered and performed at two separate Benefit Concert for Ukraine events, raising funds for alittlemorehelp.org, a non-profit foundation supporting humanitarian efforts for the people of Ukraine. For the second consecutive year Matthew has been recognized as a recipient of the Betty Coale Young Musician Scholarship, by Christ Church Cathedral, Mobile, Alabama.
Jeré Thomas
Jeré Thomas began performing at the age of 3, and has performed throughout the City of Mobile for the present and former Mayors, Police Chief and at many other important conferences, meetings, and events.
Jeré has studied classical voice for 8+ years under the instruction of Joyce Sylvester at The University Of South Alabama. Jeré is now 18 years old, and a graduate from McGill-Toolen High School. She plans to continue higher education at USA where her goal will be to acquire a degree in Elementary Education, and minor in vocal performance.
In her spare time, Jeré enjoys writing music, cooking, dabbling in cosmetology, being a helping hand to her family/peers, and spending time with her puppies, Mason and Max. Jeré also enjoys her employment as a singer/cantor for Dauphin Way United Methodist Church and Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
Julia Wofford
Julia is a recent graduate of Robertsdale High School class of 2023. While at Robertsdale High School Julia was 1st chair clarinet in the Wind Ensemble. She also served for two years as Drum Major for the marching band. Achieving top honors again this year, she was selected to attend the Alabama All State Band Festival and was a member of the District VII honor band, as well as the Baldwin County High School Band. Julia enjoyed playing with the Baldwin Pops for their scholarship series where she was awarded an honorable mention scholarship. Julia achieved her band’s highest honor for the second year when she was presented with the John Phillip Sousa Award for Outstanding achievement in Band. Julia’s love of music began at an early age. She started playing clarinet at age 11. She continued to take private lessons with Mr. Cameron Swann at the University of South Alabama. She will be attending the University of Alabama this fall as a freshman, majoring in accounting and minoring in music where she will continue her musical education. Julia’s Grandmother, Patricia Burchfield was a member of Christ Church Cathedral. She would be very proud of her being selected for the Betty Coale Young Musician Scholarship.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Cameron Beckham, tenor
Olivia Szymanski, soprano
William Stanush, trumpet
Emma Pooler, violin
Matthew Pooler, cello
Julia Wofford, clarinet
Jeré Thomas, soprano