Brian deNeeve Wins 10th Annual Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship

2015 Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship winner Berta Moreno, BMI Foundation President Deirdre Chadwick, 2016 Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship winner Brian deNeeve, CCNY Professor Jonathan Pieslak, and 2008 Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship winner David Cordeiro.

Back, L-R: BMI Foundation's Antonella DiSaverio, Porfirio Piña, Rich Garza, David F. Bills, Pat Cook, CCNY's Jonathan Pieslak, BMI Foundation's Amanda Charnley, CCNY's Suzanne Pittson; Front, L-R: BMI Foundation's Deirdre Chadwick, and Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship Winners Berta Moreno (2015), Brian deNeeve (2016), and David Cordeiro (2008).

The BMI Foundation hosted a reception on September 21, 2016, at Broadcast Music, Inc.’s New York City headquarters honoring current and prior winners of the Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship, an award that pays full tuition for one City College of New York (CCNY) music student annually. Guitarist Brian deNeeve was chosen as this year’s recipient, and celebrated alongside former winning composers Berta Moreno (2015) and David Cordeiro (2008).

“Receiving the Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship is without question, one of the great honors of my life,” said Brian. “As a 35-year-old, full-time working musician, returning to school has been a challenge. This scholarship helps to ease the financial burden placed on the non-traditional student. It also serves as a powerful motivator for my future endeavors. I am incredibly grateful to Ms. Buckstein and the BMI Foundation for having me as this year's recipient.”

The Evelyn Buckstein Scholarship was endowed in 2007 by BMI Foundation Board Member, retired BMI Assistant Vice President and Counsel, and CCNY alumna Evelyn Buckstein. The program annually awards $6,000 to one or two gifted CCNY music students who aspire to careers as professional songwriters, composers, performers, and/or music educators.

Brian deNeeve is a student, guitarist, songwriter, and producer from New York City whose career in music spans more than fifteen years. As a guitarist, Brian has played with From Autumn To Ashes, The Wanted, Rita Ora, Ella Henderson, Jim Breuer, and others. He has toured extensively from small clubs to arenas and stadiums worldwide. He has also performed on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, to name a few. Since 2001, Brian has written and/or played on no less than twelve records. In addition to being a music major at City College, Brian is currently a freelance composer for several production companies, allowing him to write music for both advertising and television programs.