Seniors are Encouraged to Apply to the Community Foundation by May 1
WATERTOWN — Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence county students in the Class of 2026 who plan to pursue studies in music are encouraged to apply by May 1 to the Northern New York Community Foundation for the JP North Country Music Scholarship.
A total of $1,500 in scholarship support is available with preference given to students who plan to attend SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. Qualified music students should apply for the JP North Country Music Scholarship through the Community Foundation’s online scholarship portal at bit.ly/nnycf-scholarships.
The JP North Country Music Scholarship was recently established at the Community Foundation through the generosity of acclaimed music educator and percussionist James “JP” Petercsak who devoted more than five decades to SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. Professor Emeritus Petercsak joined the faculty in 1968 and served as head of percussion until his retirement in 2023.
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“This scholarship supports the values of the people from the North Country while inspiring future musicians to pursue their dreams in music and develop their talents; it is one more way to help young musicians in the community succeed,” Professor Emeritus Petercsak said. “I am honored to partner with the Community Foundation to help developing musicians on their educational journeys. The Foundation brings a sense of community to the people who live in Northern New York, and this is a way to help some of our own students and people from the North Country.”
Renowned for his artistry and vision, Professor Emeritus Petercsak, affectionately known as “JP,” performed with world-class orchestras, opera companies, and entertainers, while also expanding Crane’s percussion curriculum to embrace diverse musical traditions. He touched the lives of countless students, and his influence is felt globally. His students have gone on to enjoy successful careers on multiple continents, becoming educators at many of the world’s finest colleges and universities, in-demand performers, accomplished composers, arrangers, arts administrators, advocates for the arts and executives in the music business industry.
The JP North Country Music Scholarship extends his life’s work in many facets of music as a performer- teacher, conductor, clinician, consultant, and as a music industry personality and visionary. The scholarship also ensures that his spirit of innovation, generosity, and dedication to music performance-teaching will continue to inspire young musicians for generations to come.
“Mr. Petercsak has inspired many music students throughout his career, and we are honored to work together with him in a way that will continue his impact on the lives of others in a meaningful and enduring way,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director.
Professor Emeritus Petercsak’s achievements and honors as a music educator and percussionist are extensive. He was recognized as a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and, in 2003, was honored by the SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association with an Honorary Life Membership. He is a former international president of the Percussive Arts Society, and in recognition of his extraordinary contributions, he was inducted into the PAS Hall of Fame. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Crane Institute for Music Business and Entrepreneurship.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.