The American Wind Band will present a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18, in the Anderson Theatre at the Heritage Center, 1S325 Ardmore Ave., Oakbrook Terrace. This is one of the five free concerts the band performs each year.

The American Wind Band is an adult wind and percussion band made up of professional and semi-professional musicians from throughout DuPage County.

A special feature of the concert is that the two recipients of the groups’ annual scholarship program will perform. The American Wind Band offers two annual scholarships to area high school and eighth-grade students.

“The scholarships originally started as part of the band’s mission to support music education in the community. Originally, funding came from funds donated at concerts. My wife established a scholarship fund in the name of her mother, Henrietta Kowalski; thus the name of the scholarships,” said Vince Furman, the Band’s director.

The number of students who audition for the scholarship varies each year. This year, six eighth-grade students and five high school students applied.

Furman explained some of the criteria for auditioning.

“Students must first attain a perfect score in their school solo contest. This is not simple to do, but it ensures that the best young musicians participate.”

Rebecca Tobin received the scholarship awarded to a high school student. This is actually her second time winning. She also won while in eighth grade. Rebecca is a sophomore at Glenbard West High School. The 16-year-old has played the clarinet for five years.

“I was a little nervous before the audition, but I always calm down when I am performing. I wanted the chance to perform my solo publicly, especially with such a good band,” Rebecca said. “I was both surprised and honored to receive the scholarship because there were many other talented high school musicians at the audition.”

She plans to use her scholarship for an arts camp at Interlochen, the renowned music school in Wisconsin.

Rebecca said she would like to go into music performance in the future, but even if she doesn’t choose it as a career, she will always continue to be involved in music as a hobby.

The second recipient is 14-year-old Chris Tomaszkiewicz of Burr Ridge. This eighth grader plays the violin and percussion. He won the scholarship playing a piece called “Struttin’ the Snare Drum.”

“I began playing the snare drum in fourth grade in the school band and started taking private lessons during fifth grade,” he said. “I was very nervous at the audition, but I just tried to forget about everybody and play my best.

“I have never performed in a concert with adults, so this will be a new experience. I am looking forward to it, but I am sure I will be nervous again when the time comes.”

Chris plans to use his scholarship to continue his private music lessons.

Both recipients have great potential according to Furman.

“Rebecca was a previous winner. She is the closest thing that I have seen in recent years to be a ‘natural’ on the clarinet. The quality of her sound, her maturity and taste in literature are reflective of someone much more along in years.

“Chris seems to be a very intense young snare drummer. He has all the rudiment skills nailed. I look forward to what he might do when he moves on to other percussion instruments.”