Merit Scholarships
Music students applying to URI as incoming freshmen may apply for the university’s Merit Scholarship (also known as the Centennial Scholarship), if they apply by the DECEMBER 1 Early Action Deadline. For criteria and further details, please click on the link above. (Note: November 7, 2009 is the latest test date for SAT scores to meet the December 1 deadline.)
Departmental Scholarships
The Department of Music has an attractive scholarship program for music majors and minors who demonstrate a high degree of talent and performance ability. All students seeking a music scholarship are required to audition, regardless of their degree program. Students who intend to major in music through either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Music degrees must audition for placement in these degree programs, and their scholarship and entrance auditions can be the same.
All students who receive scholarships in music are required to be full-time, continuing students, maintain a 2.5 overall grade-point average, and perform in major ensembles as designated by the department, for the entire period covered by the scholarships. Scholarship students must be officially registered as music majors in either the Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts in Music degree programs, or as music minors during all semesters covered by the scholarships. Music minors must have completed and filed the MINOR FIELDS OF STUDY form (with the signatures of the Music Department Chair and Dean of the student’s major college) during the first semester of study.
Music scholarships require participation in two departmental ensembles. In general, scholarships for majors are larger than those for minors.
Scholarship funds remaining unused after September will be made available to full-time, continuing music majors or minors. A special scholarship audition date is announced in the fall for current URI students who wish to be considered for a music scholarship or who wish to increase their current scholarship amount. Questions regarding scholarships should be addressed to Chairperson of the Scholarship and Recruitment Committee.
Other Scholarships
Special scholarships include the following:
Ward Abusamra Scholarship in Music and Voice. Income from endowment for a scholarship in music awarded annually to a graduate or undergraduate music major on the basis of merit. Preference given to students concentrating in voice or chorus. Recipient to be selected by the Department of Music Recruitment and Scholarship Committee during annual spring auditions.
Sonia Aronian and Geoffrey Gibbs Scholarship in Music Composition. Created by Dr. Geoffrey Gibbs, Professor Emeritus of Music, and Dr. Sonia Aronian, Professor of Russian Literature. The endowment provide a scholarship to a music major in the area of music composition. Selection by the Department of Music.
Thomas V. Falciglia Honorary. Income from endowment awarded annually to a music major concentrating in piano, organ, orchestral instrument, or voice on the basis of musical achievement or contribution to the music program, or to a musically talented freshman, with preference to students with financial need. Selection made by the Department of Music.
Dr. Adolphus C. Hailstork III Music Scholarship for Minority Students. Awarded on the basis of merit to minority students entering the Department of Music. Selection made by the Department of Music.
Jazz Studies Scholarship. The Jazz Studies Scholarship is awarded each year to a student majoring or minoring in music who is pursuing jazz studies. The recipient must be an undergraduate who agrees to participate for the year in at least one of the URI Jazz Ensembles. The Chair of Music, in consultation with the Director of Jazz Studies at URI, will select the recipient(s) based on financial need and an audition.
Kingston Chamber Music Festival Award. $1,000 yearly award based on merit and excellence in instrumental performance and music scholarship, awarded at the beginning of the junior year. Preference is given to a resident of Rhode Island. The recipient is selected by the music faculty.
James Ladewig Scholarship in Music History. Scholarship awarded to an undergraduate student(s) in recognition of demonstrated academic excellence in, and enthusiasm for, the study of music history. Selection made by a committee of faculty who teach music-major music history and music theory courses.
Mary Langdon Memorial Scholarship in Voice. Created in memory of URI Professor Emerita Mary Langdon by her family and friends. The endowment provides a scholarship to a music major studying voice. Selection is made by the Department of Music.
Lee Family Scholarship. Income from endowment awarded annually to a music student whose principal area of study is composition, piano, saxophone, or voice. Scholarship selection is based on a student’s commitment to music study, growing musical talent, and a strong academic record.
June Rockwell Levy Memorial. Income from endowment awarded annually to music students with financial need.
Sebastian P. and Marybelle Musco Scholarship in Voice. This endowment will provide scholarships to assist undergraduate and graduate music majors who are studying voice, and particularly those interested in pursuing careers in opera and vocal performance. Selection made by the voice faculty and Chairperson of the Department.
Presser Scholar Award. Award given to an outstanding student majoring in music at or near the end of the junior year. The stipend, provided by the Presser Foundation, is awarded to the Presser Undergraduate Scholar at the beginning of the senior year. Selection made by the music faculty.
W. Donald and Jane Rankin Scholarship. Income from endowment for a scholarship to be awarded annually to an undergraduate in the Department of Music at the University of Rhode Island. Preference will be given to a student with financial need. Recipient will be selected by the Chairperson of the Department of Music.
South County Center for the Arts Music Talent Scholarship. The yearly interest from this scholarship endowment is to be given to a full-time undergraduate music major(s) attending the University of Rhode Island. The recipient is to be a graduating high school senior from one of the high schools located in South County (i.e., North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Chariho, Westerly, Narragansett School Districts). If no graduating senior is applying to the University as a music major in a particular year, the scholarship can be given to a past graduate of a high school located in South County. The granting of the scholarship is to be based on talent in any area of music (e.g., performance and/or composition) and is to be determined through an audition before the Recruitment and Scholarship Committee of the Department of Music.
Ruth Trexler Memorial Scholarship. Awarded annually to a music major studying an orchestral string instrument. Selection made by the Department of Music.
Awards. At the end of each academic year, the faculty selects music students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement to receive any of three awards: President’s Award for Academic Excellence, Department of Music Award for Musical Excellence, and Department of Music Service Award.
