2022 Grants-in-Aid Auditions

Posted October 31, 2021

Audition Date and Place

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Ewell Hall, College of William and Mary

VIRTUAL (if in-person auditions must be canceled

Eligibility

The WMC, Inc. Grants-In-Aid Committee has prepared the following mission statement to clearly define student eligibility:

The Williamsburg Music Club, Inc.'s Grants-In-Aid program provides scholarships to serious music students. An eligible applicant must be a resident or attend school (including private and home school) in Williamsburg, James City County, or York County, Virginia. Members of the Williamsburg Youth Orchestra may also apply.

While it is requested that the student’s teacher be a member of the Williamsburg Music Club, Inc., it is not mandatory.

Divisions

Junior Division auditions: for Grades 6—8, are in the morning

Senior Division auditions: for Grades 9—12, are in the afternoon

Application Form

The Application Form must be downloaded, printed, and completed in full. The Application Form, a photo (school photo is acceptable), and a check for the fee must be mailed and postmarked by Tuesday, February 1^st, 2022 to:

WMC, Inc. Auditions
P.O. Box 1808
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1808

Applications mailed and postmarked after the deadline of Tuesday, February 1^st, 2022 will not be accepted.

Click here for the 2022 Application Form and Instructions

Repertoire

Performers must select works of contrasting styles from two different periods.

NOTE: Piano and string students must choose one selection from either the Baroque or Classical periods.

Suggested minimum level repertoire for each division is available below as a guide to help determine the student’s eligibility. This repertoire has been defined by comparing numerous lists of similar types of competitions including The Piano Teachers’ Guild, the American String Teachers’ Association, American Harp Society, Music Teachers' National Association (MTNA) Student Competition, and The National Federation of Music Clubs Competition.

These are minimum standards, and students are not required to prepare pieces on this list. Comparable level repertoire or more technically challenging repertoire for each division may be included. Senior Division student applicants, in grades 9 to 12, must choose material commensurate with the Senior Division minimum requirements.

Time Limits

Junior applicants will be allotted SIX minutes for the audition; senior applicants EIGHT minutes. For pieces that use an accompanist, please edit to reduce solo playing by the accompanist, especially long introductions and interludes.

Music for the Judges

No changes in repertoire will be permitted after Tuesday, February 1^st; however, pieces may be performed in order of choice.

Include scores with both solo and accompaniment parts if applicable.
Clearly mark any cuts in the music to help the judges concentrate on listening to you.
Mail three (3) scanned copies of both compositions by Tuesday, February 8^thto:

WMC, Inc. Auditions
P.O. Box 1808
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1808

deliver by Tuesday, February 8^th to:

532-C Hampton Hwy
Yorktown, VA 23693

Put into the mailbox to the left of the door; GIA Auditions sign will be on the mailbox

Videos for the Judges IF AUDITIONS ARE VIRTUAL

After the application is approved, the student will be sent video instructions.
Videos must be sent and received by Monday, February 28^th.

Memorization and Accompanists

All performers are strongly encouraged to play from memory, but the use of scores is permitted. Repeats should be omitted. Applicants must be prepared to perform cadenzas if a concerto with a cadenza is selected.

Students who perform works that were written with an accompaniment or orchestral reduction will be deemed ineligible to audition unless an accompanist is performing with the student. This includes concertos, sonatas, or other works that were written with a piano accompaniment or have an orchestral reduction for piano. This rule applies to all instruments, excluding piano. There are no exceptions.

How to Apply

Complete and mail the downloaded paper Application Form postmarked by February 1^st, 2022.

To be considered complete, the Williamsburg Music Club must receive this application together with your photo (school photo is acceptable), and a check for the $35 application fee. The fee is reduced to $25 if your teacher is a member of the Williamsburg Music Club, Inc. Enclose a check made payable to the Williamsburg Music Club, Inc., and mail it to the following address:

WMC, Inc. Auditions
P.O. Box 1808
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1808

NOTE: Only the first 40 students who submit completed and approved applications will be eligible to compete in this year's in-person OR virtual competition, even if the application is submitted before the deadline. There will be no exceptions to this quota.

The Grants Audition Committee will evaluate all applications. Candidates will be notified of their acceptance in the competition by Wednesday, February 2^nd. Application fees will be returned to students not accepted with an encouragement to re-apply in future years. Incomplete applications or applications mailed and postmarked after Tuesday, February 1^s^t, will not be considered. Please read the requirements carefully.

Awards

The Junior and Senior divisions will each have a First Prize and a Second Prize that is open to all instruments. In addition, judges will have the discretion to award separate achievement prizes in each of the five instrument categories. Prizes may be used to further musical education (such as for private lessons or summer music camps) or to purchase instruments.

The Kathleen Exton Prize of $500 or more is available to students in the 12^th grade at the time of the audition. To be eligible, the student must plan to continue their studies as a music major at the college level. All applicants for the Kathleen Exton Prize must indicate on the Grants-in-Aid application their future musical plans, what colleges they have applied to and what degree program they have chosen. The Prize will be made payable directly to the school attended.

The Ingrid Jahn Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 is available to students in the 12^th grade at the time of the audition. To be eligible, the student must plan to continue their music studies as a music major at the college level. All applicants for the Ingrid Jahn Memorial Scholarship must indicate on the Grants-in-Aid application their future musical plans, what colleges they have applied to and what degree program they have chosen. The Scholarship will be made payable directly to the school attended.

The Williamsburg Consort Scholarship of $500 is available to students in the 12^th grade at the time of the audition. To be eligible, the student must plan to continue their music studies as a music major at the college level. All applicants for the Williamsburg Consort Scholarship must indicate on the Grants-In-Aid application their future musical plans, what colleges they have applied to and what degree program they have chosen. The Scholarship will be made payable directly to the school attended.

The WMC Endowment Scholarship of one $3,000 or two $1,500 awards, in three consecutive installments for years two, three, and four of college studies, is available to a qualified GIA Auditions Senior Winner or Winners accepted as a music major at the college level. The value of this award or awards is up to $3,000 or $1,500 over a three-year period, the amount to be determined annually by the Board depending on funds available. The Scholarship will be made payable directly to the school attended.

Please continue to refer to this site for updates and other details of the competition. For direct assistance please email auditions@williamsburgmusicclub.org.