scholarship background

Phyllis M. Varner (1929-2014) was the founder and first director of the Williamsburg Women's Chorus (1965). She and her husband, Chuck, relocated to Williamsburg, Virginia in 1954 and raised a family of five children here. Both Phyllis and Chuck were deeply rooted in the Williamsburg music scene, performing, teaching, conducting, arranging and composing throughout their careers. The membership of the Williamsburg Women's Chorus has funded these scholarships each year since 2005. Now named the Phyllis M. Varner Memorial Scholarships, two awards are given annually. Scholarship recipients are high school women in the Williamsburg community who want to learn and grow in their vocal technique. It is the Chorus's honor to invest in the education of our future musicians.