This Sunday, the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship Ensembles of the classes of 2010 and 2011 put on their final concert of the semester. As the Leonard Bernstein Scholars '10 played their first notes, it became clear that Brandeis would be missing an incredibly talented group next fall.The LBS '10 trio began the concert with Beethoven's Trio Op.1, No.1 E flat major. The piece was bright, upbeat and celebratory. The second movement of the piece conjured up images of tiptoeing as pianist Karen Lowe's fingers pranced across the keys. Yoon-Jin Kim (cello) and Joshua Chakoff (violin) played energetically as well and conveyed a playful feeling to the Slosberg audience.

"They were terrific. We're all so proud of them," said Prof. Mary Ruth Ray, chair of the music department and the violist for the Lydian String Quartet, who acts as a mentor to the LBS scholars.

Following the LBS '10 trio was the LBS '11 trio. Their piece, was Beethoven's String Trio in C minor, Op. 9. It began upbeat and energetic and shifted to a more solemn, gentle movement before building back up to the original high-spirited feeling of the first movement. The trio, consisting of Ethan Valinetz, violin; Emily Gelb, viola; and Conner Massey, cello was engaging throughout the piece and played together harmoniously even though they did not have as much time as they would have liked to practice.

"We only had a few weeks to prepare, but we were pretty happy about it overall," says Gelb.

After a brief intermission, the LBS seniors returned to the stage to play the piece "Ghost," Piano Trio No. 5 also by Beethoven. The piece was the same piece they debuted with as freshmen in 2006.

"[The piece] was a good gauge on how we improved," says Kim.

Chakoff adds that it was also fun to play the piece that had started their musical careers at Brandeis.

The opus was beautifully played, as the scholars had a confidence in playing it that exceeded that of their first piece. The energetic first movement, played mostly in instrumental unison, moved into a slower movement that the audience became lost in.

"I get the chills just thinking about it," says Ray about the group's performance.

The piece was composed after Beethoven faced a series of hardships including the loss of his hearing. The feeling is not sad, but instead highlights the fantastic program that is the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship, which has been cut starting with this year's first-year class due to budgetary constraints. However, even though the funding will be cut, the program will continue as a fellowship where musicians can still train under and be mentored by the Lydian String Quartet.

As the three seniors look back at the program as an integral part of their Brandeis careers, they find that the experience has really shaped them.

"I met with [the other scholars] to practice three times a week for the three years. It's been such an opportunity to give our own concert together every semester," says Chakoff.

In addition to the incredible exposure to music and the opportunity to grow as musicians, Lowe recognizes another crucial part of the program. "The biggest thing was becoming friends [with the other scholars]," she says.

While current first-years and future students will still have this opportunity, the scholars as well as Ray worry about the effects the absence of the scholarship will have.

"[The LBS scholars] are at music conservatory caliber, and the scholarship really swayed them," says Ray, even though she is hopeful that the fellowship will still attract strong candidates.

Kim, the dynamic cellist, would not have attended Brandeis had it not been for the scholarship, but she is, of course, content in her decision to do so.

"It's been a staple of [my college experience]," she says.