Music Scholarships

Music Scholarship Application

Music Scholarships

Each year, we honor talented first-year and transfer students with our music scholarships. These four-year scholarships are awarded in voice, piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, guitar, organ, and composition. Music scholarship amounts range in value from $1,000-$5,000 per year, stackable with academic scholarships. All music scholarship applicants are also automatically considered for our Christiansen Award of $22,500 (replacing all other scholarships), awarded to a select few students of exceptional musical ability (replacing all other scholarships). Both of these scholarships are open to all students regardless of major and utilize the same application process below. Please note that some scholarships require the recipient to take private lessons and join one of our major music ensembles in the area of their scholarship.

Please reach out to Kristen Hatfield with any questions regarding music scholarships. Information on auditioning for music degrees can be found in the section regarding the application process.

Deadlines

• Nov. 15, 2022, is the deadline for students hoping to complete a live finalist audition in December either on-campus (Dec. 2) or in Minneapolis (Dec. 9).
• Feb. 1, 2023, is the final deadline for students hoping to complete a live finalist audition at our on-campus event Feb. 19-20 (two-day event).

Eligibility

To receive a music scholarship, you must:

• apply and be accepted for admission to Concordia as an incoming first-year or transfer student
• exhibit excellence in vocal or instrumental performance and/or composition
• submit a music scholarship application and perform a live finalist audition

Music scholarships cannot be combined with other talent scholarships (visual arts, speech, or theatre), but students will be given a choice of which to accept if offered multiple talent scholarships.

Music Scholarship Application Process

Vocal and/or Instrumental Applicants

1. Apply and be accepted to Concordia.
2. Prepare a video or audio recording (video preferred). Your high school music teacher may be able to help, and cell phone recordings will likely be sufficient. If you are applying in more than one performance area, you only need to submit your online application one time. However, you will be able to submit a separate recording for each performance area (maximum of three areas).
   • Audition/Recording Requirements can be found here.
3. Prepare a music resume (resume example).
4. Complete the music scholarship online application.
5. Following the submission of recorded auditions, finalists will be invited to perform a live audition.

Composition Applicants

1. Apply and be accepted to Concordia.
2. Complete the music scholarship online application.
   • Application must include one to three composition scores and/or recordings.
3. Prepare a music resume (resume example)
4. Following the submission of recorded auditions, finalists will be invited to perform a live audition.

Majoring in Music

If you are interested in majoring in music, you may have your music scholarship audition also act as an audition for acceptance into one of our professional music degree programs (music education, performance, or composition). Degree audition requirements may be different than scholarship requirements. In order to have your scholarship audition count as your degree audition, you need to review the degree audition requirements and prepare the appropriate repertoire/materials for your live audition. No additional application is necessary. The Bachelor of Arts in Music (a general music program often paired with another major), and the Bachelor of Arts in Music and Business Entrepreneurship do not require an entrance audition. Please reach out to Kristen Hatfield with questions regarding music major auditions.

Conductor's Choice/Faculty's Choice Award

Recipients of this award are automatically advanced to the final round of scholarships without being required to submit a recording in their application. These awards are available for incoming students of any major and recognize talented individuals who have exceeded the bar for musical excellence through participation in approved honor ensembles, receiving similar awards, winning competitions, etc. They may also be given directly to students who demonstrate excellence in a meeting/lesson with our faculty.

You are automatically eligible to receive this award if you have participated in any of the following:

• A high-school All-State/Honors Ensemble
• Minnesota All-State Lutheran Choir
• Lutheran Summer Music program
• Community-based auditioned ensembles such as:
  • Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
  • Minnesota Youth Symphonies
  • Honors Choirs of SE Minnesota
  • Angelica Cantanti
  • Northern Valley Youth Orchestras
  • Fargo-Moorhead Area Youth Symphonies
  • Duluth Superior Symphony Youth Orchestras
  • Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota
  • Bismarck Central Dakota Children's Choirs
  • South Dakota Senior Honor Choir
• Any similar approved auditioned activity

In order to receive the Conductor's Choice or Faculty's Choice Award, please contact Kristen Hatfield and present proof of participation in one of the above-listed qualified ensembles (or similar auditioned group), or proof of other criteria listed. Examples include a concert program, letter from your ensemble director or teacher, acceptance letter, etc.