Call for Entries for 2020 Vaughn Wiester Music Scholarship

Submissions will be accepted through April 15, 2020, at the Knox County Foundation for the 10th Annual Vaughn Wiester Music Scholarship competition. Any graduating high school senior residing in Knox County, who intends to continue the study of music at the college level, may apply for the prize scholarship, which has been increased to $3,000 for 2020.

Last year the ninth Vaughn Wiester Music Scholarship was awarded to Taryn King, who is now in her first year of music studies at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Preference will once again be given to applicants who will declare an academic major, or minor, in instrumental or vocal music; however, consideration will also be given to non-music majors or minors, who will combine some academic study of music at college with continued extracurricular performance of music, according to Knox County Foundation Executive Director Sam Barone.

Applicants need only submit audition media and a one-page letter summarizing their musical performance experience to date and stating their intentions for post-secondary music education. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member, or from a private music instructor, may be attached to letters of application if desired.

Letters of application and letters of recommendation should be postmarked, or hand-delivered to the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon & Knox County Foundation by the deadline, along with an audio CD (mp3 or other popular format) containing two to three minutes of solo vocal or instrumental performance (or ensemble performance, if the applicant’s performance is clearly discernable), preceded by a descriptive audio introduction of the student and the performance setting.

A panel of music professionals, including Mount Vernon native Vaughn Wiester, will review all application materials and recommend a scholarship recipient to the Knox County Foundation Board of Directors.

The Knox County Foundation office is located at 101 East Gambier St. and application materials may be submitted in person or mailed to P.O. Box 309, Mount Vernon, OH 43050.