Sigma Alpha Iota

2 2 2026 SAI Philanthropies Awards Philanthropies Awards FALL 2026 23 PAN PIPES 23 CAREER PERFORMANCE GRANT IN MEMORY OF VERNA ROSS ORNDORFF Dr. Rebecca Needham Beta Alpha initiate, Florida State University, Lambda B, Region VI 2 2 2026 SAI Philanthropies Awards Philanthropies Awards DOCTORAL GRANT Victoria Sabonjohn Pasadena Alumnae, Delta A, Region I Victoria Sabonjohn is a professional oboist, music educator, and doctoral student in oboe performance at the University of California, Los Angeles. An active freelance performer throughout Southern California, she regularly performs with local orchestras and chamber ensembles and is passionate about making classical music accessible and relevant to diverse audiences. Victoria's professional work centers on expanding the pedagogical repertoire available to developing oboists through her dissertation, A New Path Forward: A Progressive Oboe Method Grounded in the Works of Underrepresented Composers. Her research addresses a significant gap in traditional oboe instruction by pairing sequential technical development with works by women and BIPOC composers. Her long-term goal is to bring this work into a university setting, where she can promote more inclusive approaches to oboe instruction and prepare students for meaningful careers in music. In addition to maintaining a private teaching studio, Victoria serves as adjunct faculty in the Music Department at Oxnard College. She also enjoys preparing her students for the Certificate of Merit program, and is a sought-after woodwind adjudicator. Through her teaching, performance, and scholarship, she seeks to cultivate technically skilled, thoughtful musicians who are prepared to contribute to a more representative and sustainable musical future. She was initiated into the Eta Pi Chapter at Stetson University in 2000 and is an active member of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter. Dr. Rebecca Needham is a flutist and piccoloist based in Austin, Texas, and serves on the faculty at Blinn College and Austin Community College. As an avid performer of contemporary music, Rebecca enjoys programs that immerse students and educators in the sounds and techniques contemporary music demands. She is passionate about piccolo education for high school students and focused her doctoral dissertation as a resource for students to build technical prowess. Rebecca is licensed in K–12 music education in Florida and is level one Orff-Schulwerk certified. Rebecca has performed as winner of concerto competitions at Colorado State University and the Virginia Music Teachers Association, and has presented and performed at the National Flute Association Convention, the Florida Flute Association Convention, and the Flute Society of Washington Mid-Atlantic Convention. She has attended the Orford Musique Summer Institute, the International Piccolo Festival, and the Consummate Flutist Masterclass Series. Rebecca was a performer at the 2022 Sigma Alpha Iota National Convention as the first prize recipient of the Triennial Graduate Performance Mary Ann Starring Memorial Award. FALL 2026 23 PAN PIPES 23

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