Amy Ellis awarded the 2026 Claudia Bigler Choral Scholarship from the Utah Music Foundation
Amy Ellis
June 8, 2026
Salt Lake City, UT — Utah Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships to musical students from Utah communities, is thrilled to announce Amy Ellis as the recipient of the 2026 Claudia Bigler Choir scholarship.
Amy Ellis is a proud Delta High Rabbit and Delta LDS Seminary graduate. She has achieved both musical and academic excellence. Music is her greatest love in life. She had a late start to the world of vocal music and worked hard to catch up. She has performed as a soloist and in ensembles throughout the state of Utah and earned high ratings at Solo & Ensemble festivals. She has taught music lessons both privately and in music classrooms at the local elementary school. She also has a great love for songwriting and self-accompanying on guitar and piano.
Amy is experienced in other performing arts. She has a passion for musical theater, performing in and directing plays and musicals, and dance, which she teaches. Her greatest joy, though, is in service, especially when it includes music or mental health advocacy. Amy is excited to attend Utah State University to pursue a degree in Music Therapy and become involved in Aggie musical theater.
“I am so thankful to Claudia Bigler, her family, and the Utah Music Foundation for this great award and opportunity. This scholarship will help me to prioritize my schoolwork, music, and social life over working and worrying about money. I am so glad to demonstrate my love for vocal music and carry that legacy onwards. I hope to touch lives in a different but just as impactful way as Claudia Bigler did as an educator, as well as enjoy the natural beauty and communities of Northern Utah, where she has spent her life helping people. Thank you so much for this scholarship!”
This $500 scholarship is awarded each year based on the applicant’s involvement in choir and a brief essay. This short essay invites students to reflect on how choral music has influenced their lives and how they will be involved in choir going forward. The application process opens each spring and applicants are invited to apply at www.utahmusicfoundation.org.
To view prior year recipients of this and other scholarships, please visit the Utah Music Foundation website.
For more information, please contact: info@utahmusicfoundation.org
About Claudia Bigler
Claudia Bigler is recently retired from 24 years of directing choral music at Box Elder High School, in Brigham City, Utah. Prior to her tenure at Box Elder, she taught in the Carbon School District in Southeastern Utah for six years. She also directed a 100 voice children’s choir, The Music Company, in Brigham City for 6 years, before moving to Price. She has taught Middle School, Junior High School, and High School, and has served as a music consultant/teacher for the Northern Utah Home School Association, working with elementary students. She has loved teaching every age.
Ms. Bigler has served as Choral Vice-President of the Utah Music Educators Association, and is a past State President of Utah ACDA. She is currently working as a member of the UHSAA State Adjudication Committee. She has served twice as a guest director for the Utah State Women’s Honor Choir, the Utah State Junior High School Honor Choir, the Cache Children’s Choirfest, the Clark County, Nevada, Honor Choirs, and numerous district honor choirs. She continues to direct Honor Choirs around the west by invitation. She has twice been a director for the Utah Ambassadors of Music European Tour. Her choral groups have performed for Region ACDA Convention, and for the UMEA Convention.
In 2012, Ms. Bigler was recognized with the Superior Accomplishment Award, from UMEA. In the 2014-15 school year, Mrs. Bigler was named Outstanding Music Educator by the Utah Music Educators Association. She was also given the Outstanding Music Educator Award from the Utah High School Activities Association, and went on to receive the same award for Section 7, which includes California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Hawaii. She is a published composer, with several pieces in print.
Ms. Bigler is married to Jeff Bigler, (a first tenor) and she and her husband were recently retired from singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, having reached the out-to-pasture age of 60.
About Utah Music Foundation
Founded in 2018, the Utah Music Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students in Utah reach their musical and academic potential. Utah Music Foundation offers scholarships to musical high school students to help alleviate the financial burden of their college education. Utah Music Foundation is recognized by the IRS as a public charity with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. Visit www.UtahMusicFoundation.org for more information.