Eden West (BM ’25, piano, music education) has been announced as a recipient of the 2024–25 Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award. Presented annually by the Presser Foundation, the award recognizes exceptional students in music studies at higher education institutions, recognizing those who have “achieved a high level of musical and academic excellence, demonstrated leadership and service, and contributed to an inclusive community,” according to the foundation’s website.
One student is nominated annually by SMTD faculty. West has earned the honor of being named a Presser Scholar as well as a $3,000 grant to advance her musical studies.
Eden West at the piano. Photo: Amanda Lesser
“I feel not only incredibly honored but humbled to have received the Presser Award,” West said. “This award is a manifestation of the inquisitive, persistent, and collaborative environment here at SMTD that I have been immersed in for almost five years, of which I am beyond thankful to have been part.” West is pursuing degrees in music education and piano, and is a member of Professor Logan Skelton’s piano studio. She expressed appreciation for the support of SMTD faculty: “None of this would have been possible without the guidance from my professors, Logan Skelton, Ana María Otamendi, Christopher Harding, and so many others, who have encouraged my curiosity and captivation with music. I would also like to thank the music education community and faculty for nurturing my love for teaching.”
Eden West. Photo: Amanda Lesser
Hailing from Dexter, Michigan, West chose to attend SMTD in part because she grew up attending recitals, master classes, and other events at the school. “The University of Michigan became a place that supported exploration, inquiry, and individuality in my mind,” she noted, “and over the years it found a very special place in my heart.”
After graduating this spring, West plans to work professionally for a time before she continues her studies in collaborative piano at the graduate level. She reflected on some of her most cherished memories of her undergraduate years at SMTD:
The highlights, for me, have been all the little moments along the way. The very early morning and late night chats outside of the piano practice rooms, the spontaneous sight-reading sessions with friends who were excited to share new music with me, and the picnics by the Moore pond have all made my time here incredibly special. These, combined with sharing the stage with my friends and collaborators, will be things I will remember for the rest of my life.