Scholarship Fund

William Warfield was able to attend Eastman because of a scholarship he won during his senior year in high school, He chose the Eastman School of Music, There, the young baritone earned his bachelor’s degree (1942) and, after four interim years in military service, as an Army intelligence officer during World War II, returned to Eastman to earn his master’s. We want to help other aspiring African American vocal students to realize their dreams. 

Mission Statement. The William Warfield Scholarship Fund, founded in 1977, is dedicated to providing financial support and encouragement to African American students at high school and pre-collegiate levels seeking to attain success in the field of classical vocal music; and, fostering wider recognition of the life and legacy of the legendary American bass-baritone, educator, mentor and author, William Warfield.

As our financial and volunteer resources allow, we will develop educational programs that inform the public about the life and legacy of William Warfield; and, continue to identify ways to support African American classical vocal students and their careers.

Tessa Martin In 1977, Tessa Martin set up the William Warfield Scholarship Fund nonprofit organization and supported the Fund for 35 years up to the time of her death in 2012. She set up its endowment, recruited its first board of directors, connected the organization to the Eastman School of Music; and, served as a surrogate mom to each scholarship student. For many years she organized free concerts that featured William Warfield during his annual Christmas time visit to his family in Rochester.

Anastasia L. “Tessa” Martin, Founder of William Warfield Scholarship Fund

Tessa Martin grew up near Athens, Greece and came to the United States at the age of fifteen with a scholarship to attend college. While in Athens Greece in the 1950s attending a recital of operatic arias, Tessa Martin heard William Warfield singing Negro spirituals, which “made her weep”.

She married John H. Martin, moved to Rochester, New York and raised her three children Lisa, Andrew and William. She met Robert and Vernice Warfield through her son William who attended elementary school with Thomas Warfield; and made the connection to William Warfield — the singer she never forgot. When Tessa learned how William Warfield’s career was directly influenced by winning a national scholarship that allowed him to go to the Eastman School of Music, she was determined to give African-American vocal students a similar opportunity.

In 1977, Tessa set up the William Warfield Scholarship Fund nonprofit organization, raised seed money for its endowment, recruited its first board, connected the organization to the Eastman School of Music, and served as a surrogate mom to each scholarship student up to the time of her death in 2012.

For many years she organized free concerts that featured William Warfield during his annual Christmas time visit to his family in Rochester. She made sure the concerts were hosted at African-American churches, as one effort on her part to continue the connection between the local African-American community and William Warfield and the Scholarship Fund.

Tessa was very active in the Rochester community with numerous organizations and causes. Tessa Martin departed us on May 21, 2012.

There are opportunities to help with our annual programs and educational mission. Email info@williamwarfield.org