MONTICELLO, NY — The 2025 Eugene D. Nesin Memorial Scholarship for Excellence in Music was awarded to Belle Zhou, a Monticello High School senior.  Belle will be attending the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in the fall. 

Belle has already attended the Berklee College of Music’s Global String Program and the New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute, and has played in the first violin section of the New York State School Music Association’s All-State Symphony Orchestra. 

Music has been a big part of her life, Nesin Cultural Arts (NCA) noted in a press release. NCA is a nonprofit organization providing art, music, dance and theatre classes for Sullivan County students in grades K-12, and Belle also helped as a teaching assistant there.  

In addition, she is actively involved in other community service projects.

Belle wrote in her essay, “These experiences allowed me to understand the importance and impact of arts education in an underprivileged community, as well as how music can help bring people together.”

“Nesin Cultural Arts is very proud to support her further studies in music,” a spokesperson said.