Bloomingdale School of Music Announces Second Recipient of Tim McCullough Scholarship – June 20, 2024
Music has an extraordinary ability to connect people, bringing joy, peace, and healing to those who engage with it. Tim McCullough, our beloved former piano teacher, dedicated his life to sharing this gift, inspiring countless students with his passion for music.
Since Tim’s passing in November 2021, his legacy has lived on through the Tim Rufus McCullough Scholarship Fund. This scholarship honors his memory by recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional dedication and commitment to music, reflecting the same passion that Tim embodied.
Today, we are thrilled to announce this year’s recipient of the Tim McCullough Scholarship: Isabella Sirianni.
Isabella, affectionately known as Bella, has been a student at Bloomingdale since 2018. She began her piano studies with Olga Gurevich in 2019 and has shown remarkable dedication to her craft over the years. At just 13 years old, Bella’s musical journey is already impressive and deeply rooted in her family’s rich musical heritage.
Bella’s family expressed their heartfelt gratitude upon learning she was selected for this honor. “We are deeply honored and appreciative that Bella has been chosen as the recipient of this year’s Timothy McCullough Scholarship,” her family shared. “The recognition holds significant meaning for our family, knowing that Bella is being acknowledged with an award named after a cherished individual from the Bloomingdale School of Music community. The profound impact of Timothy McCullough, evident to those who had the privilege of collaborating and learning from him, underscores his legacy as a brilliant musician, esteemed colleague, and dedicated educator.”
Music runs in Bella’s blood. Born into a musical family, her mother is an international opera singer, her father is a voice teacher, and her late grandmother was a Juilliard-trained opera singer who performed at Radio City Music Hall and toured with numerous American opera companies. Bella’s mother, who also studied at Bloomingdale during the era of David Grier, found it fitting to enroll Bella in the same institution that fueled her own musical passion.
Since beginning her musical education at age seven, Bella has engaged in various studio recitals and the Summer Piano Camp, continuously honing her skills under Olga Gurevich‘s guidance. Bella’s dedication to music extends beyond the piano; she made her operatic debut alongside her mother in the American opera “Porgy and Bess” with the Greensboro Opera in North Carolina, performing with Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddons.
This summer, Bella looks forward to participating in the Musical Theater Division at Interlochen Summer Camp in Michigan, an experience that promises to further her musical growth and passion.
We are delighted that Tim’s memory will endure through the lives of his students and the beautiful music they create. Congratulations to Bella Sirianni, and we wish her continued success in her musical endeavors!
