Music Scholarships

Musicians who apply to Davidson College are enthusiastically encouraged to apply for a music scholarship! The music scholarship application deadlines are in tandem with the college application deadlines for early decision and regular decision. Our Donald B. Plott, J. Estes Millner, James C. Harper, Long, Vail, Cybulski, Seminario, Lawing, and Dehmel scholarships provide lessons on the student’s primary instrument or voice for all four years. Some scholarships also include tuition awards up to $15,000/year each. Those with $15,000 tuition scholarships are required to take one-hour lessons for credit. Other scholarship recipients have the option of taking 30-minute lesson (non-credit) or 60-minute lessons (non-credit or credit). All music scholarship awards for first-year students require continuous participation in an ensemble as assigned by the Music Department, some of which perform annual tours or provide music during commencement weekend. These awards are also renewable for the recipients’ remaining three years at Davidson, provided the following requirements are met: maintain a strong academic performance, make expected progress toward their degree, serve as usher for at least two major concerts each semester, and earn positive recommendations from their lesson instructor and ensemble director. Music scholarship recipients are not required to major in music.

If you are a first-year student and did not apply for a music scholarship when you applied to Davidson, another opportunity to be considered for a lesson scholarship takes place during the first week of classes in the fall semester. When students audition for one of the large ensembles (Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, or Symphony Orchestra), the ensemble director may nominate select students for lesson scholarships. Directors of smaller ensembles (such as Appalachian Ensemble and African Drumming Ensemble) and lesson instructors may also nominate students with whom they have met during the first week of classes.

Lesson scholarship recipients who are assigned to Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, Piano Ensemble, or Symphony Orchestra have the option of enrolling in music lessons for either 30-minutes (non-credit) or 60-minutes (non-credit or credit) per week. Students in other ensembles will enroll in 30-minute (non-credit) lessons. All students must enroll for lessons by the end of the second week of classes. All lesson scholarships, whether awarded through the Current Student Music Scholarship Competition or during the first week of the academic year, require recipients to participate in an ensemble as designated by the Music Department after consulting with the lesson instructor or ensemble director. Some voice students may be required to take Voice Class in lieu of Chorale in the fall semester. (The lesson scholarship will cover the cost of Voice Class fees.) Students must also enroll in their designated ensemble by the end of the second week of classes.

All lesson scholarships are renewable at the end of the spring semester upon recommendation of both the instructor and ensemble director.

Students on lesson scholarships who drop their lessons after the second week of classes will be required to pay for the reminder of lessons for that semester.

Explore Scholarships

There are two opportunities for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors to apply for scholarships to cover music lessons on one instrument or voice. All music lesson scholarships are awarded by the music department pending availability of funds. The number of scholarships available may change from year to year. Students with music scholarships are not required to major in music. 

The first opportunity to apply for a scholarship is through the Current Student Music Scholarship Competition, typically held in late March or early April. Applications and complete guidelines will be provided in early March. Typically, the student will be asked to perform a brief piece of music in front of a small panel of faculty. Immediately following the competition, the panel will nominate select students from the competition to receive scholarships.

The second opportunity to be offered a lesson scholarship takes place during the first week of classes in the fall semester. When students audition for one of the large ensembles (Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, or Symphony Orchestra), the ensemble director may nominate select students for a lesson scholarship. Directors of smaller ensembles (such as Appalachian Ensemble and African Drumming Ensemble) and lesson instructors may also nominate students with whom they have met during the first week of classes.

Lesson scholarship recipients who are assigned to Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, Piano Ensemble, or Symphony Orchestra have the option of enrolling in music lessons for either 30-minutes (non-credit) or 60-minutes (non-credit or credit) per week. Students in other ensembles will enroll in 30-minute (non-credit) lessons. All students must enroll for lessons by the end of the second week of classes. All lesson scholarships, whether awarded through the Current Student Music Scholarship Competition or during the first week of the academic year, require recipients to participate in an ensemble as designated by their lesson instructor or ensemble director. Some voice students may be required to take Voice Class in lieu of Chorale in the fall semester. (The lesson scholarship will cover the cost of Voice Class fees.) Students must also enroll in their designated ensemble by the end of the second week of classes.

All lesson scholarships are renewable at the end of the spring semester upon recommendation of both the instructor and ensemble director. 

Students on lesson scholarships who drop their lessons after the second week of classes will be required to pay for the reminder of lessons for that semester.