Fox Chapel Area’s Chloe Yofan earns Dean Memorial Award for music
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Fox Chapel Area senior Chloe Yofan said the music award presented to her by Belle Voci Pittsburgh women’s choir was particularly meaningful because of the extraordinary talent among her senior class peers.
“I am very honored to have received the 2019 Jeffrey W. Dean Memorial Award,” Yofan said. “This year was special because Jeffrey Dean’s mother and 3 of his children were in attendance and performed and then presented the award to me.”
The award was established in memory of Dean, who graduated from Fox Chapel Area High School in 1980. While there, he was a leader in the music programs, performing in four musicals, serving as the drum major and playing in the marching band. He went on to become the drum major at University of Pittsburgh’s marching band and graduated with a degree in engineering.
Dean sang with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and participated in community theater programs before founding a children’s studio for performing arts. Dean passed away in 2005.
The award was established in 2008 to recognize the joy Dean brought to others through musical performance, Kenda Hammer, Belle Voci board of directors chairperson, said.
In its 12th year, the award is presented to a Fox Chapel Area High School senior who exhibits leadership and a passion for musical performance.
The recipient must be enrolled in post-secondary education and have participated in a high school music ensemble for at least three years, including their senior year.
Yofan has performed in the high school orchestra, ambassador orchestra and spring musical all four years of high school.
She also was chosen to perform with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) All-State Orchestra, Western Region State Orchestra and District I Orchestra.
This spring, Yofan participated in the National Association for Music Education All-East Performance hosted by PMEA in Pittsburgh.
She plans to study violin performance at Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester this fall.
“I am very fortunate to attend a school that values the importance of the arts and I am grateful for all that the music faculty have done for me and for the program,” Yofan said.