Overview
The Kingston Centre is very proud of its program of scholarships and we are very grateful to our annual donors who make many of the scholarships possible.
The scholarships offer beginner organists of all ages a series of lessons with a qualified professional. The purpose of these scholarships is two-fold: to encourage pianists to take up the organ, and to assist those who are already playing the organ in a church, but without formal training, by offering them a series of free organ lessons.
Each scholarship has a value of $700. Each award will be paid on the recipient’s behalf to an approved organ teacher of the student’s choice who has agreed to take the recipient as a student. Scholarships may be renewed twice at the discretion of the jury and subject to availability of funds.
The preferred candidate will be a pianist of at least grade 8 standard who has not yet had any formal instruction on the organ, and who is either playing for a church or hoping to do so. If sufficient scholarships are available, consideration may be given to: (a) students who are playing for a church, but who do not meet the grade 8 standard of proficiency in piano-playing; and (b) students who have had a few organ lessons.
Candidates will be selected by a jury consisting of the President of the RCCO Kingston Centre and two professional organ teachers appointed by the Centre.
Selection will be by audition, to be held after the submission deadline. Qualified applicants will be informed by email or fax of the time and place of their auditions.
Candidates will be required to play: (a) one piece from List A (Baroque Repertoire) of the Royal Conservatory Syllabus for Grade 8 Piano, or another piece from the Baroque period of equivalent or higher standard; (b) a second piece of Grade 8 standard or higher, and in contrasting style; and (c) a simple sight-reading test.
Candidates should be prepared to supply an original copy of each piece (NOT photocopied) to the jury.
Applicants are asked to submit, along with their applications, a brief statement explaining why they are interested in the organ and how they hope to utilize their skill in the future. Applicants are also asked to include information about their musical training and experience. Special safety considerations are made with regard to students who are under 18 years of age, in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy; for this reason, applicants are asked to indicate their date of birth on the scholarship application form, which may be found on the How to Apply page.
In making the awards, the jury will take into account: (a) the degree of interest in the organ and church music; (b) present proficiency at the piano; (c) the amount of time the applicant will be able to devote to organ practice; and (d) the availability of an instrument to practice on.
It should be noted that applicants who are successful in receiving a scholarship are encouraged to attend a scholarship presentation event in the fall of the award year, at a date to be announced. Scholarship recipients are also expected to play in the annual members’ and students’ recital which generally takes place in late winter.
The organ lessons must commence within six months of the award and be completed within one year.