Music and Theatre Scholarships (also known as Enlightened Leadership Awards or ELAs) are competitive scholarships awarded to prospective admitted students who show outstanding talent and/or achievements in music (instrumental or vocal) or theatre (acting or tech/design). Recipients receive a $5,000 tuition-specific scholarship (renewable for up to four years).
Conditions
- Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress while enrolled at Kalamazoo College.
- Recipients must actively participate in their craft for at least two terms per year.
Music: Participation in one of the College’s ensembles related to your audition.
Theatre: Participation might include, but is not limited to, taking theatre classes, auditioning for productions, or working on technical crews.
- Recipients must meet with the respective department (music or theatre) within their first term to discuss how they intend to satisfy their participation requirements.
Note: Students do not have to declare a theatre or music major in order to receive these scholarships.
Application Timeline
| Scholarship Submission Deadline* | February 13th |
| Scholarship Decisions Release Date | Late February |
How to Apply
Music Scholarship
- Complete your application for admission to K through the Common Application.
- Login to your Application Status Page after your application for admission is complete.
- Access the portal to the music and theatre scholarships link on the lower right by scrolling down the status page.
- Submit a current resume featuring your music study, teachers, ensembles, competitions, awards and artistic leadership.
- Audition using two or more contrasting works (e.g., aria and art song; sonata movement and concerto movement; repertoire of different centuries, etc.) illustrating the breadth and quality of applicant’s technical and artistic achievements. Applicant audition can be submitted one of two ways:
Live auditions (conducted in-person or remotely): To arrange an audition, contact the appropriate person in the music department, listed below.
- Strings and General Inquiries: Andrew Koehler, Andrew.Koehler@kzoo.edu
- Vocals: Christopher Ludwa, Christopher.Ludwa@kzoo.edu
- Piano: Susan Lawrence, Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu
- Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion: Thomas Evans, Thomas.Evans@kzoo.edu
Unedited audio or video file uploaded online: When recording files, please use the highest quality video and audio devices available to you. The submission should be recorded as if you are at a live audition.
Note: Although all submissions for music scholarships will receive equal consideration, live auditions are strongly preferred.
Theatre Scholarship
- Complete your application for admission to K through the Common Application.
- Login to your Application Status Page after your application for admission is complete.
- Access the portal to the music and theatre scholarships link on the lower right by scrolling down the status page.
- Submit a current resume featuring your theatre study, teachers, productions, competitions, awards and/or artistic leadership.
- Then submit either a portfolio (for design and technical applicants) or an audition (for acting applicants).
Portfolio: Send in proof and final designs of the previous sets, productions, or independent projects you have worked on through your KNET portal; email Lanny Potts Lanny.Potts@kzoo.edu with any questions.
Audition: There are no live auditions. Please record and submit two memorized, contrasting monologues.
The total time of both monologues must not exceed four minutes. Introduce applicant pieces only by giving the name of the character, play and author. (Example: “Hello, my name is Ellen Barker. Today I will perform Betty from Vinegar Tom by Caryl Churchill. And Viola from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.”) Please do not give any other information about the character or the plot of the play.
Choose single-character monologues. Refrain from impersonating several characters talking with each other. Try to find a character within your range (age, personality, type, etc.) It is best to do a character from a play rather than a screenplay for film or television. Make sure you read the whole play if your piece is from a book of monologues. Select monologues you find exciting. Have an acting teacher or drama coach evaluate your pieces before you submit your work. Also, do not choose a piece that requires a dialect.
