Giovanna Parnoff, a sixth-grade student from Old Lyme, is the recipient of the first Musical Masterworks scholarship, established by the Community Music School and Musical Masterworks in memory of CMS staff member Nancy Thomas.

Parnoff has been attending Community Music School classes since she was six months old and is an accomplished pianist, starting her playing career with Thomas at age 3. She has been recognized by the talented youth programs at Duke University, Stanford University and Johns Hopkins University, and she is also a competitive foil fencer and member of Mensa and Intertel.

The Musical Masterworks scholarship provides a full year of 30-minute music lessons for a middle school student in Middlesex or New London County and will be awarded annually for the next four years.

For more information, call the Community Music School at (860) 767-0026.