Music Scholarships and Awards for Incoming First-Year Students
Application Opens: September 1, 2026
Application Deadline: January 11, 2027
Audition Date (in-person): February 13, 2027
Virtual auditions available upon request for instrumentalists only.
Carroll University offers various music scholarships to qualified students, awarded
based on an audition and open to both music majors and non-majors. Awards vary in
amount and are independent of financial aid.
- Music Participation Scholarships – $500-$2,000, renewable for 4 years.
- Marching Band Scholarships – $2,000 total over four years.
- Endowed Scholarships – $1,000-$5,000 to majors or specific instruments (piano, voice, flute, strings, etc.)
Music scholarships are automatically renewed for up to four years, as long the recipient maintains a 2.5 GPA and participates each semester in the music ensemble(s) associated with their scholarship:
- Vocal scholarship recipients must enroll in Concert Choir (MUS185), Chamber Singers (MUS186), or Treble Choir (MUS187)
- Wind, brass, and percussion scholarship recipients must enroll in Wind Ensemble (MUS188)
- String scholarship recipients (violin, viola, cello, or bass) must enroll in Chamber Orchestra (MUS191)
- Guitar scholarship recipients must enroll in private guitar lessons (MUS165) or in an ensemble as assigned
- Piano scholarship recipients must enroll in private piano lessons (MUS167) or in an ensemble as assigned
How to Apply
Complete the music scholarship application and a representative of the music program will contact you to confirm your application and discuss audition times.
Music Scholarship Audition Guidelines
All auditions take place in Shattuck Music Center on February 13, 2027. Please arrive and check-in at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time to warm up.
Accompanist Information
For instrumental auditions, piano accompaniment is not required, and an accompanist will not be provided by Carroll. You are encouraged to bring your own accompanist, but this is not required.
All vocal auditions will be provided an accompanist. Please send PDF scores of the pieces you will sing
for your audition to jcawley@carrollu.edu. As part of the audition day, you will have
the opportunity to warm up and rehearse with your provided accompanist.
By special arrangement, you may provide your own accompanist. Please email Dr. Cawley
(jcawley@carrollu.edu) to make these arrangements.
Vocal Auditions
- Accompanist required: Yes
- Audition length: 15 minutes
- Audition material: Prepare two (2) solo pieces:
- One (1) classical piece (aria or art song)
- One (1) piece in an another style (e.g., musical theatre, pop, or jazz).
- Note: these should be solo pieces and not choral parts!
- Vocalists will also be asked to sing a major scale and minor scale, preferably of solfège.
Winds and Strings
- Accompanist required: No
- Audition length: 15 minutes
- Audition material: Two (2) contrasting works; either two pieces by different composers or time periods, or two contrasting movements from the same piece (e.g. fast/slow).
- Instrumentalists may also be asked to play common major or minor scales.
Percussion
- Accompanist required: No
- Audition length: 15 minutes
- Audition material: Two (2) contrasting pieces or études on different percussion instruments; one on keyboard percussion (or piano) and one on timpani, battery (e.g. snare drum), or multiple percussion.
Piano or Organ
- Audition length: 15 minutes
- Audition material: Two (2) pieces of contrasting style (different periods or composers)
- Pianists and organists may also be asked to sight-read a simple sonatina or accompaniment.
Guitar
- Accompanist required: No
- Audition length: 15 minutes
- Audition material: Two (2) pieces of contrasting style (different periods or composers)
- Guitarists may also be asked to sight-read a simple piece.
For More Information
For specific information about the vocal scholarships, contact Jeremiah Cawley at jcawley@carrollu.edu.
For specific information about the instrumental scholarships, contact Stacy Dziuk at sdiuk@carrollu.edu.
