The Berks Sinfonietta has announced the winners of its second annual Scholarship Competition, recognizing standout high school musicians from across Berks County.
Joshua Griffith, a senior, and Grace Campling, a junior, were selected as this year’s scholarship recipients. Griffith performed Allegro Appassionato, Op. 43 by Camille Saint-Saëns on cello, while Campling performed Serge Koussevitzky’s Concerto for Double Bass. Marissa Smith, a senior flutist who performed Gabriel Fauré’s Morceau de Concours, was named runner-up and may perform if one of the selected soloists is unable to do so.
Each winner will receive a $500 scholarship and the opportunity to perform with Berks Sinfonietta during its Aug. 22, 2026 concert. Additional details about the performance are expected to be announced later this spring.
Campling, a student at Exeter Township Senior High School, began playing bass in third grade and has performed with several local ensembles, including Berks Sinfonietta and the Reading Pops Orchestra. She is currently a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and has earned multiple merit scholarships through the Reading Musical Foundation. Campling has also participated in PMEA Festivals, placing first at the state level in both 2025 and 2026. She is scheduled to join the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra in Switzerland this summer.
Griffith, a senior at 21st Century Cyber Charter School, began studying cello at age eight and currently serves as associate cellist with the Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra. A two-time recipient of the Peter Brye Cello Scholarship from the Reading Musical Foundation, Griffith is also a member of the National Honor Society, an accomplished visual artist, and a varsity athlete, serving as captain of the Exeter water polo team and competing on the swim team. He plans to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design to study industrial design.
The competition was open to Berks County students in grades 10 through 12 and was conducted entirely online. Applicants submitted a questionnaire and a video performance by the March 31 deadline. A total of seven students applied this year.
“We are delighted to provide a platform that enables exceptional young musicians in Berks County to showcase their skills and win awards,” said Dr. David McConnell, artistic director of Berks Sinfonietta.
The scholarship awards were supported this year by Customers Bank.
The program revives a long-standing local tradition previously administered by the Reading Symphony Orchestra, which for many years hosted a similar competition that gave student musicians the chance to perform in a live concert setting. Berks Sinfonietta relaunched the program in 2025, aiming to restore performance opportunities for young musicians in the community.
Organizers also credited the Reading Musical Foundation for its guidance and support in developing the competition.
