Heritage Fund names Brown Music Award winners

COLUMBUS, Ind. - Heritage Fund has announced homeschooled senior Gabriel Boggs and Columbus North senior Francesca Bates as the winners of the 2026 Brown Music Awards, hosted on February 14 at the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Helen Haddad Hall. 

Boggs, a violin student of instructor Laura Andrews, won the Betty F. Brown Award for Instrumental Excellence, performing “Concerto in A Minor, Allegro” by Vivaldi.   

Bates, a soprano student of instructor Jenny Heichelbech, took home the Anna Newell Brown Award for Vocal Excellence, singing “Sento Nel Core” by Scarlatti and “I’ve Been Roaming” by Horn.     

Both students will receive a $3,500 scholarship award. Twenty-eight students participated in the annual competition.   

Other senior award winners and their prizes were:    

• Instrumental - Providence Wofford, $1,250, and Carrie Wang, $1,250   
• Vocal - Elizabeth Alderfer, $1,500, Danni Riley, $500, and Annie Green, $500    

Underclass award winners were:  

• Instrumental - Tyce Branham, $2,000, Everly Harrison, $1,000, Elisabeth Laws, $1,000, Andrew Mohs, $1,000, Audrey Nye, $1,000    
• Vocal - Ava Burbrink, $3,000, Liliana Martinez, $2,000, Addy Newman, $1,000

The Betty F. Brown Awards for Instrumental Excellence were established by Bob Brown in 1992 in memory of his wife, Betty. She was a well-known and respected advocate and patron of the arts, both locally and statewide.

Through the Heritage Fund, the Anna Newell Brown Awards for Vocal Excellence were established in 1985 by Bob and Betty to honor Mr. Brown’s mother, Anna Newell Brown, a distinguished vocalist who contributed to the cultural life of Bartholomew County.