Mary Kate vom Lehn, a senior at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, has been named this year’s winner of the Mohawk Valley Chorus’ annual $500 scholarship.

Music has been a significant part of her life. Last year, she won the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society competition and the Killian vocal competition while scoring a 98 and a 99 in New York State School Music Association programs. She plans to pursue an education in vocal performance in college.

At BH-BL, vom Lehn has been in the Select Choir for four years and in the Concert Choir for two. She has performed in The Sound of Music, Sherlock Holmes, Singing in the Rain, Into the Woods and The Crucible.

Also a pianist and alto saxophone player, she has been in the school’s Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble, an alternate for All-State Wind Ensemble, a participant in the Berklee Jazz Festival.

Community musical activities have included an appearance in the Family Players of Northeastern New York’s production of The Sound of Music, singing with the Albany Pro Musica Masterworks Chorus, attending the Lake George Opera Summer Workshop and Boston University-Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artists Vocal Program.

Over the years, she has studied with BH-BL music teacher Ann Derrick and privately with Eileen Bush, who said “Mary Kate has everything that is needed to make a career as a professional singer. She has a wonderful instrument.”

Derrick echoed the accolades, saying, “she is an outstanding soprano singer with an inner motivation and discipline towards her craft that are exceptionally mature for her age. Mary Kate always works hard and the results are beautiful. Her technique, expression and overall musicality are superb.”

Vom Lehn. the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John vom Lehn of Spring Road, Glenville, is ranked first academically in her class, vice president of the National Honor Society and a member of the school’s Drama Club.

As this year’s scholarship winner, she will perform at Mohawk Valley Chorus’ classics concert, Classical Potpourri, March 11 and 12. The Saturday concert will be at 8 p.m. at Faith United Methodist Church, Schenectady; the Sunday performance, 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, Amsterdam.