CFA and the School of Music award several internal honors each year, coordinated through the Student Life and Honors Committee. See below active competitions and awards, along with their deadlines and application requirements.
Clare Hodgson Meeker Undergraduate Fellowship (OPEN)
The Clare Hodgson Meeker Fellowships were established in 2019 with a generous commitment from Clare Hodgson Meeker (CFA ’75) to provide financial support for travel opportunities that will contribute to transformative experiences within undergraduate education. The Clare Hodgson Meeker Fellowships will encourage students to think aspirationally, support study away from campus, and foster a culture of creativity outside the curriculum within the School of Music.
All activities must take place outside of the Boston area. Fellowships of up to $1000.00 will be considered by the Student Life and Honors Committee. Notifications will go out in May 2023. As a token of gratitude, recipients will be expected to submit a thank you note to Clare Meeker. Thank you notes should be sent to rdebrot@bu.edu no later than September 15, 2023.
To apply, please fill out the Application Form HERE.
The deadline for applications is Friday, April 21, 2023.
Questions? Contact Ruth Debrot.
Graduate Student Travel Fund Assistance Application (OPEN)
The purpose of this fund is to provide School of Music graduate students with the opportunity to participate in competitions, conferences, and engage in off-campus directed research, through the partial coverage of associated costs. Funds are limited and will be awarded by vote of the Student Life and Honors Committee. Reimbursements per individual will not exceed $500.00. The dates of travel must be between August 31, 2022, and August 31, 2023.
The deadline for applications is Friday, April 21, 2023. Students may apply for retroactive funding for activities that occurred between August 31, 2022 and the application deadline. Students will be notified of funding via e-mail.
Questions? Contact Ruth Debrot.
STRING DEPARTMENT BACH COMPETITION (CLOSED)
ELIGIBILITY
- Open to B.U. String Department Violin, Viola, Cello, or Bass Majors who are enrolled in one of the School of Music’s degree/diploma programs (BM, MM, DMA, Performance Diploma or Artist Diploma) AND are currently registered for lessons on their Major Instrument for credit.
- All entrants must be available for the entirety of the competition evening Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 (for scheduling purposes).
- All entrants must be available to potentially perform on the Winners’ Concert, Tuesday evening, November 29th, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. in the Concert Hall.
- Previous winners of the Grand Prize are not eligible to enter while still enrolled in the same degree or diploma program.
REPERTOIRE
- One complete J. S. Bach (unaccompanied) Sonata, Partita, or Suite, from BWV 1001 through BWV 1012
- MEMORIZATION REQUIRED: All competition entrants and all performers in the Winners’ Concert must perform from memory.
No exceptions.
ENTRY FORMS AND DEADLINE
- Students wishing to participate in the Bach Competition must submit the Application Form by Wednesday, November 9, 2022, by no later than 11:59 pm ET.
- Each entrant must obtain a brief signed note of approval from their applied teacher, to be scanned and sent electronically along with the Entry form by the application deadline.
- Please plan ahead to account for the time needed to obtain and scan teacher approval well before the deadline. NO LATE/INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE STATED DEADLINE.
Download the full Guidelines for more info.
Questions? Contact: Prof. LaCourse atmichevla@hotmail.com
SOLOISTS’ COMPETITION (CLOSED)
ELIGIBILITY
- The Soloists’ Competition for Performance with Orchestra is open to School of Music students who are registered for lessons AND enrolled full-time in one of the following programs of study: BM, MM, DMA, PD, AD, OI during both the semesters of application and of the competition.
- Previous winners of the Soloists’ Competition are not eligible to enter while still enrolled in the same degree or diploma program.
- Contestants must present a substantial work. Repertoire may not be a transcription or an arrangement unless authorized by the conductor of the ensemble. Complete works must be presented. Participants must perform from memory – no exceptions will be made. Each contestant must provide their own collaborative pianist for all rounds of the competition. BU faculty may not perform in any role with student competitors – no exceptions will be made.
ENTRY FORMS AND DEADLINES
Part One (Application & Repertoire Approval):
- Students wishing to participate in the Competition must submit their proposed repertoire via the Soloists’ Competition Repertoire Form by Friday, November 11, 2022, by 11:59 PM ET. Repertoire is subject to approval and confirmation. Approval will be sent to applicants by Friday, November 18th, 2022.
- If a student’s initial repertoire request is not approved, the student has until Friday, December 2, 2022, by 11:59 PM ET to submit an Alternate Request. Repertoire submission is again subject to approval. Confirmation of alternate repertoire approval will be sent to applicants by Friday, December 9, 2022.
Part Two (Competition):
- Timeline: Each department will hold its own preliminary round in late January and early February. Dates and times of the Preliminaries are due to the Chair of the Student Life and Honors Committee no later than December 15, 2022, by 11:59 PM ET.
- Finalists: From the Preliminary rounds, the Voice Department will select up to, and no more than, two vocalists, and the Keyboard Department will select up to, and no more than, two pianists for the competition Finals. The Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Department and the String Department may each advance up to three finalists, no more than two of whom may be from any one instrument/major. The lists of finalists from each Applied Department are due to the Chair of the Student Life and Honors Committee no later than Monday, February 6, 2023, by 11:59 PM ET.
- NO LATE/INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE STATED APPLICATION DEADLINE.
Download the *Guidelines for more details.
2022-23 SOLOISTS’ COMPETITION TIMELINE
- Friday, November 11, 2022 – Preliminary Application and Repertoire Approval due (no later than 11:59 PM ET.)
- Friday, November 18th, 2022 – Repertoire approval or request for resubmission will be sent.
- Friday, December 2, 2022 – Repertoire resubmission due (if requested). (no later than 11:59 PM ET.)
- Friday, December 9, 2022. – Final repertoire approval.
- Friday, December 16, 2022 – Dates and times of the Preliminary Round for each Applied Department are due to the Chair of the Student Life and Honors Committee.
- Monday, February 6, 2023 – The lists of finalists from each Applied Department are due to the Chair of the Student Life and Honors Committee.
- Tuesday, February 14, 2023 – Competition at Tsai Center for the Performing Arts
Questions? Contact:
Prof. Debrot at rdebrot@bu.edu
BU AT CARNEGIE HALL COMPETITION (CLOSED)
Seniors and graduate students may be eligible to enter the School of Music’s 2022-23 BU at Carnegie Hall Competition!
The competition to perform in the “BU at Carnegie Hall” concert is open to BU School of Music Seniors (in their final two semesters of study) and Grad Students who are registered for lessons (both fall AND spring semesters 2022-23) AND enrolled in one of the following programs of study: BM, MM, PD, AD, or DMA in the Voice/OI, Keyboard (Pianists), String, or Brass/Wind/Percussion Depts.
Students wishing to participate in the Competition must submit the entry form via the Application Form by Monday, Oct. 24th, 2022, by no later than 11:59 pm. NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. View Rules & Guidelines for more details.
Live performance in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, assuming university and government health & travel restrictions and NY Concert Hall re-opening all continue to allow it. In the case of cancellation, the streaming date and access are TBA.
Questions? Contact:
Prof. LaCourse at michevla@hotmail.com or Prof. Debrot at rdebrot@bu.edu
COMPOSITION COMPETITION FOR PERFORMANCE WITH ORCHESTRA (CLOSED)
The Composition Competition for Performance with Orchestra is open to all full-time School of Music students majoring in Composition. Students who have had a work performed previously by the Boston University Symphony or Chamber Orchestra as part of this competition are not eligible to apply. The piece submitted for consideration must have been composed at Boston University and pieces that have had only a reading/recording session with the orchestra are eligible to be considered.
Students wishing to participate in the Competition must submit a composition for orchestra to the School of Music Curriculum Library by 12:00 noon on Friday, February 3, 2023.
The following guidelines will apply:
- The composition should be a maximum of ten minutes in length.
- All works must be original (no arrangements are allowed).
- The maximum size orchestra is 12-12-8-10-6 for strings and 3232-4331 for woodwinds and brass. The woodwind complement may include piccolo or alto flute, but not both; English horn; E-flat clarinet or bass clarinet, but not both; and contrabassoon. The maximum number of percussionists is 5 (including timpani), and there is a maximum of one harp part. Any non-standard instruments must be approved by the student’s composition teacher.
- The piece may not include soloists (either vocal or instrumental) or chorus.
- Composers may submit one piece only and must submit parts (only single string parts) as well as a score. Proper notation of both score and parts will be a factor in selecting the piece, and it is possible that no piece will be chosen for a performance.
In the hope of making the experience a valuable one for both the composer and the orchestra, students interested in entering are strongly urged to discuss the feasibility and appropriateness of the piece being considered with their teacher.
Download the full guidelines here.
Questions? Contact Martin Amlin or Ruth Debrot.
FOOTE AWARD COMPETITION (CLOSED)
Each year the Harvard Musical Association presents the Arthur W. Foote Award to a soloist or chamber ensemble enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a major conservatory or university music department in the Northeast. Each institution is limited to no more than two candidates. Completed applications along with a document containing a list of links to a selection of performance videos (annotated as to whether the performance is edited), a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s institutional nominator or applied faculty member, and a CV should be submitted to the Student Life and Honors Committee for review. Members of the Student Life and Honors Committee will review the applications and select two performers or ensembles to represent the SoM. Please submit all requisite materials to rdebrot@bu.edu no later than November 7, 2022.
Applications and detailed description of the Foote Award may be found here: https://hmaboston.org/awards/
Questions? Contact Ruth Debrot.
Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award (CLOSED)
The Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award was established to provide funds to assist talented students who complete undergraduate or graduate programs at Boston University College of Fine Arts at the beginning of their careers. Boston University College of Fine Arts undergraduate or graduate students in the performing and visual arts completing their last semester of study prior to graduation (and not continuing in other programs of study) are eligible to compete for the Kahn Career Entry Award.
Six final candidates (2 per school) will be chosen and will each receive $2,500. The final award winner will be chosen from the final candidate pool and will receive an additional $17,500 for a total of $20,000. The awards are based on a combination of talent, artistic accomplishments, and strength of application and presentation.
Please view the full application requirements here.
To apply, please fill out the application form here.
The deadline to apply and complete the application form is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 13, 2023
Questions? Contact Ruth Debrot.
Boston University Richmond Piano Competition (CLOSED)
The Richmond Piano Competition is a long-standing feature of the piano department and boasts many winners who have gone on to very fine careers.
- Open to current BU piano majors enrolled in ML applied lessons.
- Guidelines and repertoire requirements are detailed in the Richmond Piano Competition Guidelines document.
- To apply, please complete and submit the Declaration of Intent form available to all piano majors in the Keyboard Department’s Google folder.
- First Prize winner receives $10,000 and Award Recital at Tsai Performance Center.
- Second Prize winner receives $5,000.
Questions? Contact Shiela Kibbe
Questions?
Questions pertaining to any of these honors should go to the Chair of the Student Life and Honors Committee, Ruth Debrot.