Niles Family Evergreen Scholarships

Saturday, June 25th, 2005 was a typical 96 degree summer day in New England, arguably not the greatest weather for a wedding, and certainly not the greatest weather for musicians to perform. 
 
But there they were, as luck would have it. The Evergreen Philharmonic would be arriving from Seattle on a red-eye flight for a performance in Boston that week. Conductor Doug Longman asked if he might provide us with an augmented string quartet for our wedding that same day. We of course accepted with great enthusiasm. Unfortunately, their flight landed late and therefore minimized any time for them to rest that morning. Still, they came with smiles on their faces, instruments in tow, and proceeded to set-up in the only space the non-air-conditioned chapel would allow for - which just happened to be the sunniest spot in the sanctuary! 

Yet they played. These young adults made a decision to share their gifts with a thankful bride and groom and an awed congregation literally "a coast away”. The music that emanated from those instruments that day helped set the tone for what would be a ceremony filled with music and joy, love and laughter, faith and tears. The sound was simply glorious, one that we can still recall to this day, and one that I, as a musician, particularly appreciated.
 
In a time where much is often written and said about what is wrong with young adults in America, we wanted to honor what is right. Musicianship, camaraderie and charity - all of which we witnessed in spectacular form - should be encouraged and honored. So, it is with great pleasure and pride that we have endowed Washington's Evergreen Philharmonic Orchestra with the Niles Family Evergreen Scholarships. Our hope is that these annual scholarships presented to graduating seniors (in the aggregate of $thousand+ to be allocated by the Niles Family at their discretion each year), will serve as a symbol of our commitment to an orchestra that committed to us years ago.
 
We encourage students and parents alike to explore the associated pages containing descriptions and criteria regarding the scholarships, as well groundbreaking music industry internships (based on availability) that have been tied to the scholarships. We look forward to continuing to develop and inspire a transformational approach to supporting music in the schools, through our ongoing collaboration with this wonderful group! 
 
- Mith Niles & Lisa Niles