Music lesson in progress

Music Scholarships

The John E.N. and Dede Howard Department of Music at Hillsdale College is pleased to offer opportunities for merit-based scholarships to all students regardless of academic major. Music scholarships are awarded to students of outstanding talent and accomplishment to support their musical studies and, in turn, to support the performance activities of the Department of Music with excellent student musicians. Scholarship awardees must enroll in individual lessons and participate in a departmental ensemble each semester as determined by the music faculty, as well as maintaining good academic standing. Awards include a waiver of lesson fees and are renewable for up to four years based on students’ successful academic and musical performance.

Scholarship applications are reviewed by the music faculty and begin with a prescreening round in the fall. Prospective students submit a representative video recording of their performance abilities, a musical resume, one or two letters of recommendation, and a brief written statement. Successful applicants are then invited for a full audition in the spring, contingent upon admission to Hillsdale College. Specific audition requirements and further application information are available upon request.

Scholarship application timeline for admission in 2024:

November 1, 2023 – priority submission deadline for prescreening materials, audition invitations sent in early December.

December 15, 2023 – regular submission deadline for prescreening materials, audition invitations sent in late January.

Auditions are completed by March 15, with notification of awards on or before April 1.

Applications submitted after these dates may be considered on a rolling basis dependent upon funding, but for fullest consideration, students should submit all prescreening materials by the December 15 regular deadline.

Request Information

For questions, please contact the Music Department:

Stacey Jones-Garrison

(517) 607-2287

[email protected]

 

Music Department

Music Facility

Ensembles

Curriculum

Music Faculty

Choral Scholars Program

Stacey Jones-Garrison
(517) 607-2287
[email protected]

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How to Apply

Application: Scholarship applicants are required to begin a Hillsdale College General Admissions Application. To begin candidacy for a music scholarship, submit a Music Resume which includes 1-2 years past repertoire performed/studied and await further i!nstructions. Additional required materials due upon the deadline and a music resume template can be downloaded below.

Download Application Materials/Audition Instructions

Audition: After the music resume is pre-screened by music faculty, the applicant can make arrangements for an audition. On-campus auditions are scheduled on an individual basis, or a remote YouTube link audition can be requested for exceptional cases when a student is unable to visit campus prior to the audition deadline. Auditions may be scheduled by personal preference, both before or after acceptance to the college.

Required Repertoire: Below are the general repertoire requirements when considering a scholarship audition. Each individual instrumental or vocal area has separate requirements for additional technical demonstrations such as sight-reading, etudes or scales. Once the resume is submitted, candidates will receive contact information for the appropriate instrumental or vocal professor to discuss additional audition requirements.

Instrumentalists

Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, harp, and guitar players should prepare two contrasting solos, etudes or movements of a larger work. Accompaniment is not required or provided.

Pianists

Pianists must begin by submitting a music resume which includes a relevant repertoire list to determine scholarship eligibility.  Auditions can be scheduled after repertoire is approved. Audition material should include about 20 minutes of music and should include but is not limited to:

1) 1st movement of any sonata by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, or any sonata written after 1900. Repeats are not necessary.

2)  A Bach prelude and fugue or a movement from the Partitas, English Suites, or French Suites.

3)  A work of the candidate’s choice from either the Romantic Period, the Impressionistic Period, or the 20th, or 21st Century, not to exceed 10 minutes in length.

For live auditions, be prepared to play 4 octave scales, hands an octave, a sixth, and a tenth apart as well as sight read.

For remote auditions, include skills determined by piano department including scales and a video excerpt of collaborative piano performance.

Vocalists

Perform 2 contrasting pieces of concert, aria, or classical musical theater style. Accompaniment is required and provided for an on-campus audition. Candidates should bring sheet music to the audition. Memorization is strongly recommended, and foreign language is optional but encouraged.

Jazz

Instrumentalists or vocalists may be considered specifically for jazz scholarships through a separate audition for the jazz department. Jazz musicians are required to perform 2 contrasting jazz standard heads and demonstrate ability to improvise on those forms.

Organists

Submit at least two contrasting pieces, at least one by J.S. Bach. Play a hymn in four-part harmonization with pedals as if accompanying a congregation. Applicants auditioning in person may be required to sight read a hymn in four-part harmonization. Include a list of repertoire most recently studied.

Composition

Composition scholarships typically begin at the sophomore level and above and are based on recommendations from the Composition/Theory department. Prospective students interested in composition studies and future scholarship award opportunities are encouraged to submit formal scores for consideration at any time.

Deadlines

The audition deadline is March 1 of the year of entry. Students who audition after this deadline will receive secondary consideration.

All materials may be sent via email to Stacey Jones, including letters of recommendation directly from a reference’s email address in our effort to go paperless. Thank you. All materials submitted are confidentially shared to relevant music and admissions personnel only.
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