SAMRO Overseas Scholarships for Singers 2015

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) is offering overseas scholarships for singers who are citizens of South African, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland. Scholarships are available for postgraduate study or approved master classes abroad, focussing on the music discipline for which they were awarded in 2015, namely singing. The value of the main award in each genre is R170 000 inclusive of an economy class return airfare to the overseas country in which the main award-winner will study. The application deadline is 15 May 2015.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships are awarded in the music discipline for which students were awarded in 2015, namely Singing i.e. Jazz Music and Western Art Music.
Course Level: Scholarships are available for postgraduate study or approved master classes abroad.
Scholarship Provider: The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO)
Scholarship can be taken at: Abroad

Eligibility:
-The Scholarship competition is open to Singers born after 15 May 1982 who are citizens of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland, and who have already completed (or expect to complete) their studies in 2015 for a recognised undergraduate or postgraduate degree majoring in singing.
-A previous main award-winner in any of the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships competitions is not eligible to apply.
-During the 2 years following the completion of studies funded by these Scholarships, main award-winners may be required to make themselves available for a possible public performance. These performances will not qualify for the payment of any fees to the main award-winners.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Applicants from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland are eligible to apply for these scholarships.

Scholarship Description: The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) is South Africa’s national Society of Composers, Lyricists and Music Publishers, administering the performing and broadcasting rights in copyright musical works, as well as public performances of sound recordings (commonly referred to as needle time). SAMRO is a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and is affiliated to many similar societies in over a hundred countries. The Organisation’s core business is to collect and distribute royalties which accrue from the broadcast and public performance of musical works and sound recordings (for performing rights) to its members and members of its affiliated societies. In order to promote the opportunities for musical activity in SAMRO’s territory of operations for the benefit of its members, CISAC permits a proportion of distributable performing rights revenue to its affiliated societies to be devoted to the encouragement of the arts. This allocation towards artistic support in South Africa is administered by the SAMRO Foundation. The SAMRO Foundation’s three focus areas are: Music Education, Music Industry Support and the administration of the SAMRO Music Archive. It was in terms of this scheme, that, since the start of SAMRO’s operations in 1962, its Board of Directors established the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships to enable talented young South Africans to further their music studies abroad.

Number of award(s): Two main awards, one for Jazz Music and one for Western Art Music are available in each cycle.

Duration of award(s): Please note that funds will not be disbursed directly into award-winners’ accounts. All funds which are awarded will be payable at the appropriate time to the relevant educational entity as approved by the SAMRO Foundation. All monetary awards must be used within 2 years of being awarded, failing which they will expire. However, candidates who foresee that the deferral of the use of any funds awarded may become necessary, must submit their reason(s) for a deferral request in writing 3 months before the end of the 2-year period.

What does it cover? The value of the main award in each genre is R170 000 inclusive of an economy class return airfare to the overseas country in which the main award-winner will study.

Selection Criteria: The Scholarships competition in both the Western Art Music and Jazz Music genres will take place over the following three rounds
-Qualifying (Recorded) Round: Candidates must perform a programme of between 10 and 15 minutes comprising 2 or 3 works, selected according to the Repertoire Categories A,B, C and D.
-Intermediate (“live”) Round: Candidates must perform a programme of between 20 and 25 minutes comprising a total of 4 or 5 works: The compulsory prescribed work (Category E) plus 3 or 4 own-choice works selected according to the Repertoire Categories. Candidates must perform works in at least 3 of these 4 categories: A -D and compulsory prescribed work in Category E.
-Final (“live”) Round: Candidates must perform a programme of between 15 and 20 minutes comprising a total of 4 or 5 works: The compulsory prescribed work (Category E) plus 3 or 4 own-choice works selected according to the Repertoire Categories. Candidates must perform works in at least 2 of these 4 categories: A – D and compulsory prescribed work in Category E.

Notification: Candidates chosen to take part in the Intermediate Round will be advised by the SAMRO Foundation no later than 1 July 2015. The Intermediate Round will take place on Thursday 27 August 2015 at the Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg. Intermediate Round candidates not chosen for the Final Round may still be taken into consideration for subsidiary awards. The Final Round will take place on Saturday 29 August 2015 at the Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg. The unsuccessful finalists in each genre may be eligible for a Runner-up Award with a value of up to 25% of the main award.

How to Apply: Applications should be send by post. Apart from the Application Form, applicants must also complete and submit a brief Curriculum Vitae with details as follows: a) academic record and transcripts; b) practical experience in vocal performance and c) a point-form biographical summary of the candidate’s musical achievements: 2012 – 2014. Applicants must include, on a separate sheet, a detailed outline of their plans for further study abroad, together with copies of any supporting documents. Applications must be accompanied by:
a) For purposes of publicity and marketing, all applicants should e-mail two high resolution jpegs (scanned at 300dpi), professional-quality photographs of the candidate (head and shoulders only), taken in the last 6 months (no printouts please)
-b) A copy of the candidate’s valid identity document as proof of age and citizenship
-c) At least 2 current testimonials regarding the candidate’s vocal abilities from the candidate’s: i) most recent singing teacher and ii) any other competent and recognised musical authority to whom the candidate’s vocal abilities are known
-d) The Application Form should also include details of any other study awards and bursaries which the candidate may already have received or may expect to receive
-e) Submission of 2 CDs as detailed under Qualifying (Recorded) Round.

Application Form

Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is 15 May 2015.

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application