Student Spotlight: Steven Ridge

Steven Ridge has been passionate about teaching music dating back to his early middle school days. Now working on his master’s degree, he is majoring in Music with a concentration in Violin Performance. The generosity of the John J. Cali Music Scholarship, which provides general scholarship and fellowship support for students enrolled in programs offered by the John J. Cali School of Music, has allowed him to continue his studies at Montclair State as he pursues his career plans. “This scholarship enables me to achieve my aspirations of becoming a great teacher as well as a constantly improving performer,” he says.

Building on his undergraduate major at Montclair State in Music Education, Steven is fully embracing the world of music and finding more meaning in the arts through his advanced education in Violin Performance. “After spending much time studying the education aspect of music, I had forgotten how much I had missed being able to perform. This scholarship has helped me stay at Montclair State and accomplish what I set out to achieve and enables me to perform again,” he explains.

“I have been performing on violin since I was 9 years old. My grandmother was the first to tell me that I could go quite far with my musical abilities. It is because of her and my love and passion for music that keeps me going in life, for I perform in dedication to her and my family every time I am on the stage.”

Going forward, Steven hopes to apply his musical skills in the field of education to inspire students as well as to perform in various venues and make himself known in the world of music. He feels he has benefitted from the immersive experience at the University and is already sharing his knowledge as a teacher of orchestra and beginner strings in a high school and elementary school. Through his experience of being a performance major, he has been able to inspire his students to perform better and with more soul and passion.

“With this scholarship, I am blessed with a golden opportunity to better myself as a musician and as a citizen. I am being given a chance to delve deeper into the musical world through performance as well as make connections with other musicians and faculty.”