2011: Daniel Legrand. Upon arriving at Davidson, this music major had been far too modest in promoting his overwhelming skills and passion for music.  Having flown under the radar, his first audition for the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra took everyone by surprise.  His articulate and thoughtful performance on the flute proved him to be one of the orchestra’s diamonds in the rough.  Through his work in the orchestra and in a plethora of chamber ensembles, his energy and impeccable artistry have moved audiences across the campus.  His contagious laughter, which often matches the register of the piccolo, is a gem on its own, shining as brightly as his spirit.  It is with great joy that we award this year’s Richard Ross Memorial Music Award to Daniel Legrand.

2010: Paul Sayed. Luckily this music major came to his senses before it was too late, switching to music only in the spring of his Junior year. Exhaustively exploring the inventive, rich, bizarre and beautiful in music and its connection to the larger human experience, he is fueled with an insatiable sense of wonder and intellectual curiosity, epitomizing the liberal arts mind, heart and soul. As one colleague puts it, he is like a duck on the water: you see him and he seems real cool and smooth on the outside, but he's paddling like heck under the surface! We enthusiastically celebrate and honor this year's Richard Ross Memorial Music Award recipient, Paul K. Sayed.