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 and are stackable with academic scholarships. All music scholarship applicants are also automatically considered for our Christiansen Award of $25,500 per year (replacing all other scholarships due to its high value), awarded to a select few students of exceptional musical ability. 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 below the music scholarship application process outline.

Deadlines

  • Nov. 15, 2024: Deadline for students hoping to complete a finalist audition on Dec. 6, 2024, in Moorhead or on Dec. 13, 2024, in the Twin Cities
  • Feb. 1, 2025: Deadline for students hoping to complete a finalist audition at our two-day event Feb. 16-17, 2025, in Moorhead (Feb. 1 is the final deadline for all students applying for Fall 2025)

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 music
  • submit a music scholarship application
  • perform a live finalist audition/interview

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

(If you are applying in more than one 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)

  1. Apply and be accepted to Concordia.
  2. Demonstrate music excellence via ONE of the following:
    • 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. Audition/recording requirements.
    • Prove participation in an honor ensemble/program of sufficient caliber to earn the Conductor's/Faculty's Choice Award (details below). Examples include all-state organizations, youth ensembles (YCCM, GTCYS, MYS, CDCC, NVYO, MJW, LSM, etc.). If you have questions about if your experience qualifies, please reach out to Kristen Hatfield. Receiving these awards exempts you from a recording requirement.
    • Have a lesson with one of our music faculty members and be granted the Faculty's Choice Award (details below), exempting you from a recording requirement.
  3. Prepare a music resume (example).
  4. Complete the music scholarship application.
  5. Perform a live audition/interview if invited as a finalist.
    • Event dates are Dec. 6, 2024, in Moorhead; Dec. 13, 2024, in the Twin Cities; and Feb. 16-17, 2025, in Moorhead (two-day event).

Composition Applicants

  1. Apply and be accepted to Concordia.
  2. Complete the music scholarship music scholarship application.
    • Application must include one to three composition scores and/or recordings.
  3. Prepare a music resume (example).
  4. Attend a live interview if invited as a finalist.
    • Live audition dates are Dec. 6, 2024, in Moorhead; Dec. 13, 2024, in the Twin Cities; and Feb. 16-17, 2025, in Moorhead (two-day event).

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 the music scholarship process 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, a letter from your ensemble director or teacher, an acceptance letter, etc.

More About Music at Concordia

Music Ensembles

Join a choir, band, orchestra, or other music ensemble during your time at Concordia to stay musically involved regardless of your major.