During the years 1979 through 1982, the Grane Award was administered by the Pacific Northwest Wagner Festival of the Seattle Opera under the personal interest of Glynn Ross, General Manager, and Maestro Henry Holt, Conductor, of the Seattle Opera.  At this time, the Grant consisted of five weeks of study during the preparation and rehearsals of their prestigious productions of Wagner’s ‘Ring Cycle’ in both German and English.  Within this time, Mssrs. Ross and Holt ensured that the young singer or musician received guidance in roles or phases of production suitable to the awardee.  Travel expenses, room, board and incidental expenses were included.

    Talented musicians receiving these early grants include:  in 1979, heldentenor Gary Lakes and soprano Pamela Gates; in 1980, dramatic soprano Pamela Porter-Arnold; in 1981, conductor-in-training Michael Pisani; and finally, in 1982, Associate Conductor of Seattle Opera, Michael Mitchell, who received the Award to complete his new efforts on a book about the tragic essences within Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”.  After this, the Award became moribund.           

    Unfortunately, Dr. Mitchell succumbed to AIDS before completing and publishing his tome, “The Shattered Spear”, and he gave the handwritten draft to Harry Eiler to edit and carry-on his work.  It was the presence of this pile of papers on Harry’s desk that eventually led him to continue formal education in Music so that he could do apt “justice” in editing Michael’s book.       It was during these classes that Harry became aware of the difficulties facing young musicians and the Eilers decided to revive something like the Grane Award in grants from their newly formed Foundation.  During the early years of the Foundation it was considered as the ‘sole’ award; however, with increased financial support from Alice’s unmarried brother, Jules Jezek, the Foundation has been able to consider additional prizes and grants.

    It was from its early Wagnerian beginnings that the award received its name.  The “Grane Award’ is named after Brunnhilde’s horse to signify the grant’s original interest in Wagner and to suggest the supportive role it might play in helping young musicians.  It seeks to overcome some of the ‘hurdles’ encountered during that most difficult time as young composers and performers begin their professional career(s).  To help young Siegfried as he embarked upon his travels, Brunnhilde gave him her most prized possession.  After Siegfried’s death, she sought her own death astride the steed in the final immolation at the end of “Götterdammerung”.  In some similar way, Harry and Alice Eiler Foundation offers opportunities to future musicians with the hope that they may ‘leap’ forward to a meaningful and significant career in the music yet to come.