Scholarships and Financial Aid

Music Scholarships

Scholarships are available to new and continuing students in the Music Department. They are generally awarded on a yearly basis by the Music faculty, upon recommendation of the Scholarship Committee. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of musical talent and/or academic achievement. Financial need is a consideration for some scholarships. Application forms are available in the Music Department office in January. Check the bulletin board for deadlines and audition signups. The number and amount of these awards depend upon the availability of funds in the Department’s scholarship fund.

In consideration of the intention of the benefactors, or requirements established by the University when the scholarships are established, some scholarships are related to specific areas within the department and require participation in that area. Scholarships generally range from $500 to $2,400 per year and are usually divided into three quarterly installments. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in music and be current in their concert attendance (shall not have a prior year deficit) to continue their scholarship eligibility, and must reapply each year. They must also be enrolled full-time, with at least 6 units of music classes. Failure to follow the music major curriculum, including fulfillment of the concert attendance requirement, could result in loss of a scholarship or being ineligible to apply for a scholarship. Auditions will consist of two pieces of a contrasting nature (i.e. one fast/one slow), not to exceed 8-10 minutes total, to be chosen by the student. For continuing students, the type of repertoire performed for the scholarship audition should reflect what the student is performing in a major performing ensemble. The content of the application (repertoire, composition portfolio, academic research paper, etc.) must have been produced under the guidance of a faculty member.

List of Scholarships

  • Cal Poly Band Scholarship
    • for students in the Wind Orchestra and Jazz Band programs
  • M & H Bender Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Collegians Jazz Scholarship
    • for students studying jazz
  • Russell Cummings Engineering Major Music Minor Scholarship
    • for outstanding College of Engineering majors, minoring in music
  • Harold P. & Rosalie Davidson Memorial Music Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Adrienne Fissel Music Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Ann & Gordon Getty Scholarship
    • for students in the orchestra & chamber music programs
  • Greg & Jane Hind Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Faye R. Hanna Music Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • John Heller
    • for students studying music
    Barbara M. Jones Music Scholarship
    • for students involved in the choral program
  • Kawamoto Family Scholarship
    • for students in marching band (who play French horn)
  • Janet Lee Memorial Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Lowe Family/Mustang Band Scholarship
    • for students in marching band
  • Lowe Family Wind Orchestra & Collegian’s Jazz Scholarship
    • for students in wind orchestra or jazz band
  • Martha Michel Music Scholarship
    • for students studying wind, brass or percussion
  • Lucien Morrison Scholarship
    • for students studying to be public school instrumental teachers
  • Music Faculty Scholarships
    • for students active in the music program
  • Alice Parks Nelson Scholarship
    • for students studying piano
  • Gerry & Peggy Peterson Scholarship
    • for music majors or minors
  • Virginia Polin Vocal Scholarship
    • for students studying voice
  • Craig & Astrid Russell Scholarship
    • for students majoring in music with an interest in voice, choral music, piano, music theory or composition
  • John G. Russell Scholarship Endowment
    • for students studying piano
  • Vard & Mildred P. Shepard Memorial Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • String Music Scholarship Endowment
    • for student string performers active in the orchestra and/or chamber ensemble
  • Clifton Elroy & Pauline Thompson Swanson Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Vocal Studies Scholarship
    • for students studying voice
  • Carolyn & Larry Voss Music Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Ken Watson Music Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Ralph E. and Florence B. Welles Scholarship
    • for students studying music
  • Ralph Wilmar Piano Scholarship
    • for students studying piano
  • Geoffrey Owen Wilson Music Scholarship
    • to support returning music majors with an interest in composition or music technology

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Awards for Merit

The Music Department offers a variety of awards based upon musical excellence and contribution to the music program. These awards, ranging from $200 to $300, are given at the end of the school year on recommendation of the music faculty and the Scholarship Committee.

List of Awards

  • George Clarke Beatie Award
    • for outstanding music majors preparing for the field of music education
  • Harold P. and Rosalie Davidson Award
    • for students active in the music program
  • Janet Lee Memorial Award
    • given to a male and female member of the choral program
  • Ronald V. Ratcliffe Memorial Award
    • for students demonstrating outstanding achievement in the music program
  • Moon Ja Minn and Paul Suhr Music (Opera) Award
    • for students active in the student opera program
  • Moon Ja Minn and Paul Suhr Symphony Award
    • for students active in the student symphony program
  • Music Department Memorial Award
    • for students active in the music program

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