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Music Scholarships

Whatever your major, you can apply for music scholarships at Calvin. 

We offer around 60 music scholarships to Calvin students, regardless of your major or year of study. If you demonstrate solid musicianship and want to meaningfully participate in department lessons or ensembles, we invite you to apply by January 31.   

Learn more about Named Scholarships at Calvin

 

What music scholarships are available? 

Calvin music scholarships are available for:  

  • Composition 
  • Guitar 
  • Instrumental (Brass, Strings, Woodwinds) 
  • Organ 
  • Percussion 
  • Piano 
  • Voice 

Some scholarships require students to take private lessons in the area of the award and most require participation in an appropriate faculty-directed ensemble for the duration of the scholarship. 

Browse all music scholarships

 

How do I apply for a music scholarship?

  1. Apply to Calvin
  2. If you are admitted, you can sign in at calvin.academicworks.com to complete the Named Scholarships application. You will automatically qualify for every scholarship you are eligible for. 
  3. Within the Named Scholarship application, select "yes" when asked if you want to apply for music scholarships. You will then be presented with the additional music application. 
  4. Within the application, provide YouTube link(s) to audition recording(s). See guidelines below. 

Application Review and Results:

Calvin music faculty carefully review all music scholarship applications and supporting performance auditions. We award based upon the level of musicianship and demonstrated interest to contribute to enriching musical life within the Calvin community. 

If you are awarded a music scholarship, we will notify you by March 1.
 

  1. Sign in at calvin.academicworks.com to complete the Named Scholarships application. You will automatically qualify for every scholarship you are eligible for.
  2. Within the Named Scholarship application, select "yes" when asked if you want to apply for music scholarships. You will then be presented with the additional music application. 
  3. We may require performance auditions for returning students who did not submit a recording as an incoming first-year or transfer student. See audition guidelines below if you did not submit one as an incoming student.

Application Review and Results:

Calvin music faculty carefully review all music scholarship applications and supporting performance auditions. We award based upon the level of musicianship and demonstrated interest to contribute to enriching musical life within the Calvin community. 

If you are awarded a music scholarship, we will notify you by June 1.

Audition Guidelines

Incoming students must include an audition with their scholarship applications (see application instructions above).

While other schools hold live auditions, we require recorded auditions so that every applicant, from anywhere in the world, will receive equal consideration.

All performance auditions should be video-recorded live and uploaded to YouTube. Need help? Refer to this page for information on uploading videos to YouTube. 

Area-specific guidelines:

Two compositions (ideally in contrasting styles), uploaded to YouTube (video OR audio recordings are acceptable). Scores, lead sheets, and/or lyrics for both recorded compositions (in PDF format) must also be submitted. Applicants must also submit a one-page written narrative (in PDF format) describing yourself and your music that includes: 1) a description of your experience with composition thus far (Have you taken lessons? If so, for how long? How much work have you done as a composer?); a short program note explaining the central idea and/or history behind each of your submitted compositions.  


 

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two compositions representing contrasting styles (One piece should be originally written for guitar, while the other could be a transcription. One piece may be in jazz or a popular style.) 

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two contrasting selections from: 1) a movement from a sonata, concerto, or comparable composition; 2) a solo piece appropriate for high school solo and ensemble festival; or 3) a standard solo etude 

Piano accompaniment: optional

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two contrasting selections—one should be a composition by J.S. Bach (i.e., Chorale Prelude or Prelude and/or Fugue) and the other should be a composition from a different style period (i.e., if the Bach work is meditative, then this piece should be vigorous) 

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two contrasting selections on any of the following instruments: snare drum (rudimental or concert), timpani, or keyboard (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone). Both selections may be performed on the same instrument, but demonstrating abilities on different instruments is encouraged.  

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two contrasting selections from: 1) a Baroque work (i.e., Sinfonia or Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach); 2) a fast movement from a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven; 3) a Romantic work (i.e., Chopin, Brahms, Schumann); or 4) an Impressionistic or 20th/21st-century work 


 

Duration: 10 minutes maximum 

Repertoire: two songs of contrasting styles that best demonstrate musicality, tone, tempo, and technique. Contest and/or other solo performance pieces are most appropriate. Examples include: 1) an art song, opera aria or oratorio in English or a foreign language (i.e., Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin,” Vivaldi’s “Un certo non so che,” Barber’s “Sure on this Shining Night”); 2) a selection from music theatre repertoire (i.e., “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, “Defying Gravity” from Wicked); and 3) a selection of your choice, including an arrangement of a hymn, gospel song, popular song, or jazz standard (i.e., “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” “Blue Skies”). 

Piano Accompaniment: highly encouraged 

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