WAU Professor Bridges Students to World-Class Stages Through the NESE Carnegie Scholars Program

Takoma Park, MD — At Washington Adventist University (WAU), musical excellence is more than a tradition — it’s a global opportunity. Thanks to the leadership and vision of Dr. Virginia G. Rittenhouse which was passed on to Dr. Preston Hawes, WAU students are performing on the world’s most prestigious stages, including New York City’s Carnegie Hall, through a transformative partnership with the New England Symphonic Ensemble (NESE) and MidAmerica Productions, one of the largest and most respected concert production companies in North America. 

Founded in 1989 and boasting over 400 appearances at Carnegie Hall alone, performances of the NESE have been simply described as “flawless” (Rhodes Magazine). Under the artistic direction of Dr. Hawes, the NESE has collaborated with acclaimed conductors such as Sir John Rutter, Jonathan Willcocks, and Sherrill Milnes, and has premiered dozens of groundbreaking original compositions. With a stellar reputation for musical mastery, the NESE now serves as a powerful recruitment tool and educational platform for WAU’s Department of Music.

Through the Carnegie Scholars Program — a credited course of study housed within WAU’s Music Department — select student musicians are mentored by elite professionals while performing in major concert halls around the US and abroad. This program is uniquely available at WAU and offers a rare opportunity for students to work alongside renowned soloists and conductors, and beside established professional musicians during their undergraduate experience.

“This collaboration is more than performance — it’s unmatched access, customized mentorship, world-class exposure, and a front-row seat to professional excellence,” said Dr. Hawes. “We are setting our students on a global stage, both literally and figuratively.”

A Canadian by birth, Dr. Hawes first garnered national attention at age 12 competing in the Canadian Music Competition placing 1st in the province of Saskatchewan, and then a year later winning 3rd at the National final round. He is now an award-winning international violinist and musical clinician who serves as Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies at WAU. A protégé of the late Dr. Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse and a laureate of numerous international music competitions, Hawes has performed across five continents earning acclaim from the European Academy of Arts and Sciences, dignitaries, and royal audiences alike. His academic pedigree includes Washington Adventist University (then, CUC), and Yale University. Dr. Hawes completed a doctorate of musical arts at the Peabody Institute, where his research uncovered a previously unknown composition by Leonard Bernstein, resulting in a dissertation that has advanced worldwide the academic and musical understanding of Bernstein’s deeply personal work for solo violin, “Serenade after Plato’s ‘Symposium’”.

By bringing his comprehensive expertise to WAU, Hawes is not only elevating the university’s reputation but also attracting talent from around the world to study in Takoma Park, Maryland. “The NESE partnership reflects WAU’s commitment to excellence and our mission of developing moral leaders through holistic education,” said Dr. Daniel Lau, Chair of the Department of Music.

WAU is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and is the only institution in Maryland offering both a Bachelor of Music Therapy and a Music Therapy Equivalency program. Situated just outside the nation’s capital, WAU provides students with cultural and professional access unmatched by other small liberal arts universities.

Prospective students interested in joining WAU’s renowned music program or participating in the Carnegie Scholars initiative are encouraged to contact the Music Department at (301) 891-4025 or email music@wau.edu.