Scholarship Auditions and Awards

The mission of the Musical Merit Foundation is to discover and introduce students of exceptional musical talent. Further, the Foundation raises money to provide scholarships to those students who show exceptional talent. Annual auditions are held to determine winners of scholarships. Initial screening is done through preliminary auditions. Competitors who pass are candidates for FINAL auditions. From this group the winners of scholarships are selected. Winners are required to attend a winner's concert on the day following the FINAL auditions. A few selected winners will perform.

For the Preliminary auditions there are four categories of auditions - piano, voice, strings and winds.

A panel of preliminary judges consists of at least three judges in each category. No private instructor of any contestant may be a judge. Judges are unaware of the identity of contestants and are asked to make written comments which are mailed to each contestant following the competition.

The panel of FINAL judges consists of six judges. FINAL judges are selected from distinguished university professors and professional musicians who reside outside San Diego County. Selection of FINAL judges is subject to approval by the Executive Board of the Foundation. The decision of the judges is conclusive. All auditions are closed to the public.

Requirements
Eligibility
Residency: An applicant who is participating in the Preliminary auditions must be a resident of San Diego County, Imperial County, or Baja California del Norte at the time of the Preliminary auditions. Residency requirements do not apply to participants in the FINAL auditions. Age: An instrumentalist or composer must have reached age 16 or be a graduating high school senior, and not have reached age 24, on May 27,2001. A vocalist must have reached age 18 or be a graduating high school senior, and not have reached age 32, on May 27, 2001.

Application

  1. Application fee: $15.00 nonrefundable
  2. Each applicant shall fill out an audition application
  3. Preliminary applicant shall furnish a letter of recommendation from his/her private music teacher, to be sent directly to the auditions chairman.
  4. Preliminary applicant shall include on a separate sheet of paper a short statement of his/her musical goals.
  5. Preliminary applicant shall furnish a transcript of credit from the school last attended.
  6. Each applicant shall provide a repertoire sheet listing precise title and identifying opus numbers of all compositions to be performed. Information on this sheet must also list keys and movement titles where appropriate, and must be approved and signed by your teacher.
  7. Except for your teacher's letter of recommendation, the above material must be submitted with the application.

General Information

  1. Applicant shall furnish his/her own accompanist, who should arrive with the applicant.
  2. No applicant may present compositions prepared for previous Musical Merit auditions.
  3. Entrants in FINAL auditions are urged to keep audition days free, as the judges may wish to call them back for a second hearing in the afternoon.
  4. Applicants will be notified of audition schedules well in advance.
  5. Contestants who have previously passed preliminary auditions need not appear in preliminaries again and need submit only items 1,2,6 and 7 under APPLICATION, above.
  6. Please note that residency requirements pertain to participants in the Preliminary auditions only.
  7. All prizes will be awarded at the presentation recital on May 28, the day following the final auditions. ALL WINNERS ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE.
  8. KEY DATES for 2001:
       Deadline for application - Preliminary auditions March 8
       Preliminary auditions - April 7, San Diego State University
       Deadline for application FINAL auditions - April 27
       FINAL auditions - May 26. First Presbyterian Church, 4th & Date Sts. San Diego
    Awards Concert - May 27. First Presbyterian Church
  9. To apply, print the application blanks that follow.
  10. Address all communications to:
       Chairman of Auditions Committee
       Dr. Conrad Bruderer
       PO Box 3475
       La Mesa, CA 91944-3475
       Tel. 619.442.8201

Awards
Following the FINAL auditions, the Board of Directors of the Musical Merit Foundation meets to determine the amount to be awarded based upon the judges decisions. On the following day winners perform at the Awards Concert where they receive their scholarship checks.

Each participant in the FINAL auditions receives a one year paid membership in the Foundation and a congratulatory letter containing a request to keep the Executive Board informed of his/her progress.
Audition Requirements | Audition Application | Repertoire List


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