Musical America Blogs

The ASCAP Foundation Louis Armstrong Scholarship
Underwritten by an endowment from the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, this scholarship is presented annually to a jazz composition student. The recipient must be a matriculated student at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College/City University of New York. ASCAP member Louis Armstrong, who lived in Queens for decades, had strong ties to Queens College.

The ASCAP Foundation Irving Burgie Scholarship
The ASCAP Foundation Irving Burgie Scholarship was established to support an aspiring African-American songwriter from New York City. This annual scholarship is awarded alternately between the Berklee College of Music and the University of Southern California. It is funded by a gift from ASCAP member, performer, folklorist and community activist, Irving Burgie in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his song “Day-O.”

The ASCAP Foundation Frederick Loewe Scholarship
The late ASCAP member Frederick Loewe is best known for composing the music for the outstanding musicals My Fair Lady, Camelot, Brigadoon and Gigi. Established by an endowment from the Frederick Loewe Foundation, this scholarship is presented annually to a student of musical theater composition at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University in New York City.

The ASCAP Foundation Leiber & Stoller Music Scholarships
Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, writers of such hits as “Hound Dog,” “Kansas City,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Stand By Me,” “On Broadway,” and “Is That All There Is?,” developed and funded this program which celebrated their 40th anniversary as collaborators. This scholarship provides assistance to young aspiring songwriters, musicians and vocalists. Two awards are given each year: one to an incoming freshman at Berklee College of Music in Boston, for which the school auditions the recipient; the second recipient is auditioned by the Young Musicians Foundation in Los Angeles.

The ASCAP Foundation Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship
Rudy Perez, recipient of two consecutive El Premio ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Awards and a leading producer of Latin Music, has established The ASCAP Foundation Rudy Perez Songwriting Scholarship. This scholarship is presented annually to an aspiring Latino songwriter who demonstrates potential to produce creative and original work and also demonstrates financial need.

The ASCAP Foundation Louis Dreyfus Warner-Chappell City College Scholarship
Honoring renowned ASCAP members George and Ira Gershwin and named for Louis Dreyfus, co-founder of the U.S. Division of Chappell Music (now part of Warner/Chappell Music), the Gershwins’ publisher, this scholarship is presented each year to a composition student for a score written for dance, film/video or theater. The student must be enrolled in either the B.A. or B.F.A. program at the City College/City University of New York, Ira Gershwin’s alma mater.

BMI Foundation John Lennon Scholarship
The BMI Foundation manages the John Lennon Scholarship for Yoko Ono. Each year, three awards totaling $20,000 are awarded to applicants for the best original songs. The Scholarship competition is open only to U.S. college students between the ages of 17 and 24.  Three scholarships with prizes totaling $20,000 will be awarded to the best original songs submitted to the competition.  Visit web site for application deadline.

BMI Foundation Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize
This prize is awarded annually to the best new work created in the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop and is named for the jazz legand, Charlie Parker. The winner is chosen by a distinguished panel of judges at the annual workshop showcase concert, held each year in New York City. Included in the prize is a $3,000 commission to write a new work to be premiered at the following year’s showcase concert.

BMI Foundation PeerMusic Latin Scholarship
The PeerMusic Latin Scholarship is awarded annually to a composer or songwriter with the best song or composition in any Latin genre. The program is open to students of an accredited university in the US or Puerto Rico, and between ages 16 and 24. Award: $5,000.  Visit web site for application deadline.

BMI Student Composer Awards
The BMI Student Composer Awards is a competition for young composers of classical music.  the awards are made on an annual basis for compositions submitted by students actively engaged in the study of music and all works are judged under pseudonyms. Applicants must be citizens of countries in the Western Hemisphere and must be either enrolled in accredited public, private or parochial secondary schools, in accredited colleges or conservatories of music, or engaged in private study of music with recognized and established teachers. Applicants must be under the age of 28 as of the competition postmark deadline. Prizes totaling $20,000 and ranging from $500 to $5,000 will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. The postmark deadline is usually in early February and applications are available as of the preceding November.

Morton Gould Young Composers Award
The Morton Gould Young Composers Scholarship splits $30,000 per year among award recipients. The number of recipients varies each year. An original composition is submitted in application for this award. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America, or enrolled students with STUDENT VISAS. Applicants must be under the age of 30.

The ASCAP Foundation Charlotte V. Bergen Scholarship
Awarded to the top ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer age 18 or under, this scholarship is made possible by The Frank & Lydia Bergen Foundation and is named in memory their daughter, Charlotte, a lover of classical music. The scholarship is to be used for music study at an accredited college or music conservatory.

NFMC Student and Collegiate Composition Awards
The competition is open to any citizen of the United States, either native born or naturalized, who will have reached the 19th, but not the 26th birthday by March 1 of the competition year. Entrants must be members of the National Federation of Music Clubs. Students enrolled in federated schools are members.  Entrants must be a junior, senior, or graduate student at their college or university, and must be a composition major, or have been in the past.  Entrants may submit only one original and unpublished composition for each annual competition.  Entrants who have been winners of the Marion Richter American Music Award and the Young Composers Awards are not eligible to enter the competition again. The performance time for the composition must be between four and ten minutes. Solo/ensemble arrangements and ensemble setting of standard works are not eligible.

PMCP/Wegmans Composition Contest for Wind Ensemble
Open to composers of all ages who submit original compositions for wind ensemble. First place winner receives $1000.

Archibald Rutledge Scholarship
The Archibald Rutledge Scholarship is for young composers who are students of an accredited music program and residents of South Carolina. Each year four $4,000 awards are presented to recipients. The scholarship does not maintain a website. Call (803) 734-8116 for more information. 

SAI Inter-American Music Awards
A triennial composition competition to composers residing in North, Central and South America, with no age limit. Each triennium, Sigma Alpha Iota Philanthropies, Inc. specifies the particular combination of instruments and/or voices for which entries must be written, and the length of the work.