Music Scholarships

The purpose of this award is to support our music majors who assume leadership roles in the St. John's Episcopal Church music program. Recipients of the award, to be known as the Mary Ellen and George M. Blackburn Award.

St. John's Episcopal Church Choral Scholars, are expected to participate in the St. John's Episcopal Choir on a schedule provided by the St. John's Choir Director. The schedule will not interfere with scheduled university classes, practices, or performances. Choral Scholars will become acquainted with sacred choral literature from the 16th to 21st century, learn the place and importance of music in liturgies following the church year, and improve vocal and sight-reading skills. Recipients will have opportunities to perform vocal and instrumental music and prepare and conduct the St. John's choir. The award winner will be chosen by the St. John's Episcopal Choir director and members of the Blackburn family.

Awarded to a sophomore, junior, or senior student majoring in vocal music who exhibits excellence and proficiency in this field. The scholarship is awarded through a vocal competition held during the spring semester.

Awarded to one senior student majoring in voice who has earned a 3.00 or higher grade point average. Award is made as a result of a scholarship competition held during the fall semester.

This award was established by President George Ross and CMU First Lady Elizabeth Ross and is intended for an entering student from Detroit, Flint, or Saginaw metropolitan areas who exhibits exceptional promise as a vocal music major. The recipient will be determined by the Director of the School of Music in consultation with the Dean of the College of the Arts and Media and the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to a returning junior, senior, or graduate woodwind music major who demonstrates artistic performing ability in a competition held during the spring semester.

Scholarship applications are available to all undergraduate trombonists who are currently music majors and have completed at least 45 credit hours but no more than 100 credit hours before the semester of application. Applications will be accepted and reviewed each spring semester, and the endowment will be provided at the beginning of the fall semester. Students will be selected by a committee based on the following criteria:

1. Minimum GPA of 3.0 in all studies
2. Minimum GPA of 3.25 within the field of music
3. Contributions to CMU School of Music ensembles
4. Musicianship
5. Letter of Application

This scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman or transfer student who is a full-time music major with an emphasis in trombone, maintains a GPA of 3.25 for all music classes and who contributes to the CMU School of Music ensembles.

This scholarship will be awarded annually to a returning junior or senior music major who demonstrates artistic performing ability in a brass competition held during the spring semester. Requirements for the competition include performing an accompanied piece of 6-10 minutes in length and a grade point average of 3.2 or higher.

Recipients will be an undergraduate or graduate student with a 3.0 GPA, with preference given to a recent high school graduate entering as a freshman with a 3.0 GPA and/or an entering graduate student with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Preference will be given to recipients with a major or minor in organ, as well as have a successful audition with the School of Music. If no qualifying organ majors are available, consideration may be given to students with a major or minor in keyboard. The recipient will be selected by a committee comprised of keyboard faculty. If no student meets the criteria in a given year, the donors wish that the award not be given that year and that the spendable amount allocated for the award be returned to the endowment fund.

Monies from this fund are to be given annually to a student deemed worthy and needy of an advanced piano scholarship through a piano competition during the spring semester.

Awarded to a resident from Genesee County, Michigan, who is a music major and whose primary instrument is percussion. If there are no eligible percussionists, preference will then be given to a resident from Genesee County as follows, in this order: 1) jazz studies, non-keyboard, 2) jazz studies, keyboard (piano), 3) any instrument. If no music majors come from Genessee Country, then preference will be given to a Michigan resident who is a music major with any instrument. Sophomores or higher-level undergraduate students must be full-time students and possess a minimum 3.0 GPA. An incoming freshman may apply for the scholarship but must have attained a GPA of 3.00 in high school and display a high level of music proficiency and excellence. This award will be determined by the Professor of Percussion (or appropriate professor) and he/she will make their recommendation to the Director of the School of Music.​

The award shall be given to an approved and active music major whose primary instrument is percussion, who has a record of academic excellence as demonstrated by a GPA of 3.5 or higher and who exhibits financial need. In the event there is no qualified scholarship candidate who is a percussionist, the scholarship may be awarded to another music student who meets the criteria of this scholarship. The number, amount, and recipient of the scholarship will be determined by the Director of the School of Music, in consultation with the Scholarship and Financial Aid Office.

Recipients must be promising students with financial need, majoring in instrumental music. Recipients must have a 3.25 GPA, and be of junior or senior standing. Preference will be given to students from Michigan. Preference will be given to a percussion student. The recipient(s) of the award will be determined by the appropriate department in consultation with the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

One time scholarship award for all incoming undergraduate and graduate violin major applicants who exhibit outstanding entry auditions.  Current violin major students with 2.75 GPA who register in violin lessons and orchestra are eligible for consideration of this award upon written application, statement of financial need. 

Award recipients will be determined by the School of Music string faculty, in consultation with Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. 

This scholarship is awarded to an incoming string student based on an outstanding entry audition.

Awarded to a sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student considered to be the most improved jazz musician. The recipient will be selected by the School of Music and will be presented with this prize at the final jazz concert of the school year.

Awarded to an outstanding jazz musician who has demonstrated leadership, service, commitment, and improvisational skills. Also, the recipient will exemplify dedication and a positive attitude. The recipient will be a junior or senior who has been accepted for full music candidacy or a full-time graduate student. A slate of candidates will be identified through letters of application from students who will be evaluated by the jazz band director(s) and will be announced at the final concert in the spring or Jazz Weekend.

Awarded to a non-music major member of the Central Michigan University Marching Chips who exhibits outstanding leadership, musicianship, and whose integrity is beyond reproach.  The winner is chosen by the director of the CMU Marching Band.

This scholarship was established in 2022 by Tim, B.M.E.'85 and Pattee B.S.'84, M.S.'86 Bender. Tim and Pattee were both members of the Chippewa Marching Band and top instrumental ensembles throughout their time at CMU. Tim was able to attend CMU only because of scholarships he received in his first two years. Pattee, who holds a Music minor from CMU, also received a music scholarship for multiple years. The Benders continue to participate in musical performance groups. During their time in the music programs at CMU, Tim and Pattee felt that the directors and other members were like a family. The relationships, the hard work, the joys, and the rewards were all foundations of their college career, growth, and development. This renewable scholarship will support junior or senior Music minors with a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.0 who demonstrate financial need. Recipients must be a member of a CMU instrumental or vocal group, such as but not limited to the CMU Marching Band.

It is the intent of the Donors to honor Norman Dietz, the musician, the teacher, leader, counselor and motivator who provided a standard of excellence in his students that would not only impact their musical skills but also the satisfaction of achieving success that exceeded their own expectations. It is the intent of the Donors that this gift be used to support an award. The recipient will be a student enrolled in the School of Music as an instrumental music major. The recipient must have attained at least the junior level status and be a member of one or more of the premier instrumental organizations at CMU. The recipient must possess strong leadership skills and must have a minimum GPA of 3 on a 4 point scale. The Director of the School of Music is to set up a selection committee composed of the conductors of the premier School of Music instrumental organizations with the Director of the School of Music as the chairperson of the selection committee.

The award guidelines specify that the recipient shall be a full-time junior or above student who is an instrumental music major from the western part of Michigan and have a minimum GPA of 2.70.

Recipient selection will be made by the Central Michigan University Department of Music Scholarship Committee. The recipient will be selected through an application process, and eligibility will be determined through applicants meeting the following criteria.

The scholarship will be renewable based on continued full-time enrollment and financial need for three additional years for a freshman recipient; two additional years for a sophomore recipient; one additional year for a junior recipient; and up to three years for a Mid-Michigan Community College transfer student who was a recipient of the J. Dean and Betty Eckersley Scholarship. The scholarship may be renewed for a fifth-year class status recipient who remains qualified by GPA and financial need, but the scholarship amount will be prorated based on actual enrolled credit hours and attendance cost.

 

The recipient shall be an incoming freshman who is majoring in music. The recipient must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4 point scale and a successful audition. The number, amount, and recipient(s) of the scholarship will be determined by the School of Music.

Awarded by the Presser Foundation to an outstanding student majoring in music at or near the end of the student's junior year. The student is to be nominated and selected by the music faculty and will be publicly announced as a "Presser Scholar."