Scholarships

Performance Scholarships

Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, IFMC Scholarship Awards

Springfield Federation of Music Clubs (SFMC)  provides summer music camp scholarships to students who are members of a SFMC federated Junior Club and participate in the Junior Festival (piano, vocal, instrumental).  There is a Junior and Senior High Division.  The scholarship auditions are held every year in early March at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Springfield, IL.  The following are the guidelines that outline eligibility, classification, musical requirements and winners:

  1. The Junior High division is for students who are currently in grade 6, 7, 8 and 9.
  2. Students currently in grade 6, 7 or 8 must compete in the Junior High division regardless of Festival class.
  3. Piano students in grade 9 who play in Mod. Dif. 3 (Festival) or below may compete in either division.
  4. Piano students in grade 9 who play in Dif. I (Festival) or above must compete in the Senior division.
  5. Students in grades 10 through 12 must compete in the Senior division regardless of Festival class.
  6. There is a $15 Non-Refundable application fee.
  7. A student may win one time in each division.
  8. Students must perform two pieces from memory with this exception:  students in woodwinds and brass may use scores for their choice piece.
  9. The time limit for Jr. High audition is 5 minutes, for Senior High, 10 minutes.
  10. The music, with the MEASURES NUMBERED, must be provided by the student for the judges.   NO PHOTOCOPIES ALLOWED.
  11. Four scholarships in total (across the two divisions) are available for award, as determined by the judges.
  12. Each winner will receive $250 scholarship to the summer music camp of his/her choice.
  13. All scholarship winners are to perform and give a short report on their camp experience either in person or by video recording at the SFMC meeting usually in October, time and place TBA.

Jean Vitale Scholarship

The Jean Vitale Piano Scholarship is a memorial scholarship administered by IFMC, Senior Club, SFMC, that is meant to encourage advanced piano students as they Master the interpretation and distinction between Romantic piano repertoire and repertoire from other periods.  Jean, whose students all belonged to the IFMC Junior Club, called Chopin Club, was especially fond of the Romantics, and emphasized both technique and dynamics to students playing music from all stylistic periods.  This scholarship is held every year at the same time and location of the SFMC Scholarship Auditions.  The following are the guidelines that outline eligibility, classification, musical requirements and winner:

  1.  The audition for the summer music camp is open to all students currently in grades 9 – 12.  They must be members of a SFMC federated Junior Club.
  2.  There is a $15 Non-Refundable application fee.
  3.  A student may win one time.
  4.  Students must be playing in the Dif. 1 Festival classification or higher.
  5.  Students must perform two pieces of contrasting style from memory with one of those pieces being from the Romantic period.
  6. The performance time should NOT exceed 15 minutes in length.
  7.  One winner will be selected.
  8.  The winner will receive up to a $500 scholarship for advanced piano study at a music camp/festival or with an experienced teacher with a Doctorate or equivalent in piano performance.
  9.  The scholarship winner is to perform and give a short report on their camp experience in person or by video recording at the SFMC meeting usually in October, time and place TBA.

Golden Lyre Summer Music Scholarship

The Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, Golden Lyre Foundation offers two scholarships a year to be administered by the Senior Club SFMC.  The scholarship audition is held every year at the same time and location of the SFMC Scholarship Auditions.  The following are the guidelines that outline eligibility, classification, musical requirements and winner:

  1. The audition is open to all students currently in grades 6 – 12.  They must be members of a SFMC federated Junior Club.
  2. Applicants must have played in Junior Festivals for at least three (3) years on the instrument played at the scholarship auditions.
  3. Applicants must have received a Superior rating at the current year’s Junior Festival.
  4. Students must be playing in the Moderately Difficult 1 through Musically Advanced II Festival classification.
  5. Students must perform two pieces. Repertoire selections must follow rules outlined in the Junior Festival Bulletin.
  6. There is no application fee.
  7. Two winners will be selected.
  8. Each winner will receive a $300 scholarship for study at a music camp/festival.
  9. Students may win the Golden Lyre scholarship and another performance scholarship administered by SFMC in the same year. However, the combined amount of scholarships may not exceed the actual cost of the camp. If necessary, adjustments will be made.
  10. A student may win the Golden Lyre Scholarship once in the 6th-9th grades and once in the 10th-12th grades.
  11. The scholarship winner is to perform and give a short report on their camp experience in person or by video recording at the SFMC meeting usually in October, time and place TBA.

Compositions Scholarship and Contests

Compostion Scholarship

The following guidelines outline the requirements for eligibility:

  1.  Open to all students currently in grades 7 – 12 who are members of a SFMC federated Junior Club.
  2.  Participate in the Festival Composition Event or in Festival in any event in the current year.
  3.  Participate in the SFMC Composition Contest in the current year.
  4.  A student may win this scholarship two times.
  5.  There is a $15 Non-Refundable application fee.
  6.  Requirements are the same as the SFMC contest.
  7. One winner will be selected each year.
  8.  The winner will receive a $250 scholarship to the summer composition camp of his/her choice.
  9.  The scholarship winner is to present an original composition, either by a recording or by a live performance, and give a short report on his/her camp experience at the SFMC meeting in September or October, time and place TBA.

Student Composition Contest

Compositions are to be delivered with the entry fee of $5.00, postmarked no later than January 31, 2024 to:

Kristin Maletich
745 W. Hoechester Rd.
Springfield, IL 62711

Please make entry fee checks to: SFMC

2. Students must be studying with a teacher who is a current member of IFMC District 4.

3. Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention for: imagination and originality, accuracy of notation, suitability to the instrument, and overall effect.

4. Age groups: (As of March 1, 2024 – same as Festival)

GROUP I: Age 9 and under
GROUP II: Ages 10-­12
GROUP III: Ages 13­-15
GROUP IV: Ages 16­-18

5. A recording of the student’s composition may be submitted, but is not required. If more than one instrument or voice is needed, an audio recording is required.

6. Complete and submit a Student Composition Contest Application with each composition. Student and teacher names should not appear on the composition or recording. Please write the title of the student’s piece on the recording if one is being submitted.

7. If notation software is used, the student must have entered the notation herself/himself.

Other Scholarships

Studio Scholarship

SFMC has established two annual scholarships that are awarded for study with teachers who are members of the group. The scholarships cover a nine-month period, running from September through May. An award of $40.00 per month is paid directly to the teacher of each student chosen.

Students are selected for the scholarships based on need, past accomplishments, and potential for musical growth. Selections are made by the executive board of SFMC.

The deadline to apply for the 2024-2025 studio scholarships is March 31, 2024. For a student to be considered, that student must have been nominated by his or her studio teacher. Teachers should submit letters that address criteria in the areas of need, past accomplishments, and musical potential. To ensure privacy, a student’s last name should be omitted.

Letters of nomination should be postmarked no later than March 31, 2024, for an application to receive consideration for the 2024-2025 school year. Letters should be mailed to:

Kristin Maletich
745 W. Hoechester Road
Springfield, IL 62711

Application may be sent via e-mail, also. Send to: morningetudeclub@gmail.com

Winners will be announced at the May meeting. If, in the opinion of the board, no student meets the scholarship criteria, no scholarships will be awarded for the 2024-2025 year.

Leave a Reply