Violinist Mailyn Iribar Corpas, an alumnus of the Andrews University Department of Music, recently received the first prize Nerenberg Award and Farwell Trust Award in the Senior Instrumental Division from the Musicians Club of Women and won the inaugural Ruthmere Solo Strings Competition. For her senior violin recital, she performed an original violin sonata composed by late Andrews professor Blythe Owen—the first time the piece had been played in over two decades.

Iribar Corpas began her bachelor’s degree in music performance in the fall of 2022 and completed her studies in spring 2026. Leaving her native Cuba for Berrien Springs, Michigan, she quickly established herself as a talented performer and pupil. She shares that the collaboration and support she received from department faculty helped her grow academically and as a performer.

“I’m so grateful for everything that I learned and the support that I got from all the professors.” Iribar Corpas says. “I got opportunities to play with the orchestra three times while being at Andrews, and that was a highlight for me because you don’t get to play a lot with the orchestra during your bachelor’s.”

These skills encouraged Iribar Corpas to participate in the Musicians Club of Women Instrumental Competition on March 7 in Chicago, Illinois, as well as apply for the Ruthmere Museum’s string competition during her senior year.

“I actually applied to the Ruthmere competition without having any expectations,” she says. “You do this kind of stuff to try to put yourself out there and try to push yourself to grow. … It helped and I’m so grateful.” After winning the Ruthmere competition, she was invited to give a solo concert performance on April 23 at the museum.

Along with these important competitions, Iribar Corpas faced a busy final semester, balancing a full class load, research assignment, and several performances. On April 10, she presented her senior recital “Reflections.” During the concert, she played works by composers Richard Strauss, Paul Schoenfield, Jessie Montgomery, Amy Beach, and more. The evening also featured the first movement of Blythe Owen’s violin sonata, which Iribar Corpas helped research.

In her work on Owen’s sonata, Iribar Corpas worked with Marianne Kordas, associate professor and director of the Music Materials Center, who has been studying the composer’s letters and documents for the past decade. Owen taught, composed, and performed throughout the last half of the 20th century, leaving an indelible mark on the Andrews University Department of Music and its students. The sonata was only recently rediscovered and had not been played since the composer’s death in 2000.

Kordas’ research pointed to Owen’s inspirational character, and she shares, “I appreciate that realistic perspective of somebody who’s just trying to do their life in the best way they can and also trying to be a good teacher and be a good artist.”

Two annual scholarships have been established in Owen’s memory. These help students like Iribar Corpas—whose enrollment largely relied on scholarships—giving them the opportunity to attend Andrews University and make similar impacts through their music.

Building on her undergraduate experiences at Andrews, Iribar Corpas plans to continue pursuing music academically and professionally by joining DePaul University’s graduate music program. She later hopes to pursue orchestral and solo performance and competition opportunities.

The original article was published on the Andrews University news site.