• Kate Chittenden Memorial Scholarship for Summer Study
• Lucia V. Torian ’69 Award
• The Jean Slater Edson Prize in Music Composition
• Lucia V. Torian Music Lesson Scholarship
• Karolyn Kirksey Holler ’54 Award for Graduate Study in Music

For Music Majors

Deadline: Rolling.

The Department of Music is pleased to announce the Kate Chittenden Memorial Scholarship for assistance in summer study. All music majors, including graduating seniors and sophomores who declare by the end of the deadline, are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to students who have not previously received support from this source. Students are urged to investigate worthy summer programs for performers and composers, programs of academic study or research at other institutions in this country and abroad, or programs of study that will assist in the development of new skills.

To apply, you will need the following information:

1. A brief description of the proposed program of study, making clear the purpose for which the scholarship is sought.
2. A list of expenses (tuition, room and board, travel, scores, etc.)
3. For performers:  A recording of a performance.  For composers: please submit a score and/or recording of your work.
4. A brief letter of recommendation from the applicant’s major professor or advisor sent to MusicAwards@vassar.edu.

Apply here. 

*If you have been accepted into a summer program and the deadline to commit is prior to the award deadline, please submit your application as soon as possible.

The Vassar College Department of Music announces the seventh annual Lucia V. Torian ’69 Prize for Music for summer 2024. The award is intended to support one student—a graduating senior or an exceptional undergraduate—by providing the resources to attend a competitive music festival or summer training program in North America or abroad. To be eligible for the award, the student must have been accepted into such a program. The recipient will be a classical musician who, in the judgment of the selection committee, has the potential to achieve a professional level in the near future. In the event no individual qualifies, the award will be postponed.

To qualify, applicants must be nominated by their teacher and must obtain an additional recommendation from another music professional. They must also have performed a solo recital and/or appeared as a soloist with the Vassar Orchestra. Additional performances, such as on Monday afternoon recitals, are encouraged and may be required at the end of the semester. Additional recordings or videos may be requested by the committee.

STAGE 1: Applicants should express intent to apply for this award to their teacher. This includes, in writing, a brief description of the program or programs applied to and the opportunities these would make available to the candidate. The teacher should then formally nominate the candidate to the department chair, Justin Patch, no later than April 1, 2024, 5:00 p.m.  We encourage faculty to nominate students as early as possible.

STAGE 2: Once acceptance into a program is received, the student will submit all materials listed below using this Google Form.

• Documentation of acceptance to the program
• Description of the program
• A short one-page cv/resume detailing relevant performance experience
• An estimated list of expenses required to participate in the program

Two letters of recommendation will be sent confidentially to musicawards@vassar.edu:

• One letter from the applied music teacher (who must be a member of the faculty at Vassar College)
• One from another certified music professional who can attest to the applicant’s qualifications for this program

*If you have been accepted into a summer program and the deadline to commit is prior to April 15, please submit your application as soon as possible.

The award will be announced in May.

Please direct all questions to Justin Patch, chair of the department.

Thanks to a major gift from the estate of Karolyn Kirksey Holler, Vassar College class of 1954, the Music Department is pleased to announce that it will be able to award scholarship funds to eligible seniors who plan to pursue graduate study in music. The first Karolyn Kirksey Holler '54 Scholarships for Graduate School in Music will be awarded this spring, so please consider applying.

Eligible seniors must be music majors or music correlates who plan to enroll in an accredited graduate music program within the next 3 years.

Deadline: Rolling

Application Requirements

• CV (curriculum vitae)
• Personal statement (graduate school plans; current thinking about professional plans; reflection on growth as a musician at Vassar)
• Two letters of recommendation (at least one from a member of Vassar’s music faculty) will be sent confidentially to musicawards@vassar.edu

This award will make it possible for a student to attend graduate school, covering a substantial portion of tuition and/or expenses, and offering the option to apply for funding up to two additional years after the initial award.

Optional

• If you have been accepted to the program of your choice, please supply documentation of your acceptance.
• An estimated list of expenses required to participate in the program.

Application Form

The award will be announced in May.

Please direct all questions to Justin Patch, chair of the department.

Funds will be awarded upon formal matriculation at a graduate program in music, and will take into account an estimated budget, as well as other awarded scholarships or fellowships.