The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) is offering overseas scholarships for South African, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland applicants. The main award-winners' scholarships may be used only for postgraduate study or approved master classes abroad, focusing on the music discipline for which they were awarded, namely Composition. Two main awards, one for Jazz/Popular Music and one for Western Art Music are available in each cycle. The value of the main award in each genre is R160 000. The SAMRO Foundation will also fund the purchase price of an economy class return airfare to the overseas country in which the main award- winner will study, up to a maximum of R10 000.
Study Subject (s): Scholarships are available for studies focusing on the music discipline for which they were awarded, namely Composition.
Course Level: Scholarships enable talented young South Africans to further their music studies (postgraduate study or approved master classes) abroad.
Scholarship Provider: The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO)
Scholarship can be taken at: Abroad
Accreditation: Affiliated to similar Societies in over a hundred countries, SAMRO is a member of the International Confederation of Composers' and Authors' Societies (CISAC) as well as the international organisation representing mechanical rights societies (BIEM).
Eligibility:
-The Scholarship competition is open to Composers born after 31 May 1981 who are citizens of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland, and who have already completed (or expect to complete) their studies in 2014 for a recognised undergraduate or postgraduate degree majoring in composition.
-A main award-winner in any of the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships competitions is not eligible to apply.
-During the 3 years following the completion of studies funded by these Scholarships, main award-winners may be required to make themselves available for 2 possible public performances of works. These performances will not qualify for the payment of any fees to the main award-winners.
Scholarship Open for International Students: The students of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland can apply for these overseas 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, broadcasting, diffusion and mechanical (recording) rights in copyright musical works, as well as public performance of sound recordings (commonly referred to as needle time).
Number of award(s): Two main awards, one for Jazz/Popular Music and one for Western Art Music are available in each cycle.
Duration of award(s): All funds which are awarded will be payable at the appropriate time to the relevant educational entity or teacher(s) of the candidate as approved by the SAMRO Foundation for the account of the award-winner. Please note that funds will not be disbursed directly into award winners' accounts. All monetary awards must be used within 2 years of being awarded. However, candidates who foresee that the deferral of the use of any funds awarded may become necessary, must submit their reason(s) for deferral in writing 3 months before the end of the 2-year period. Should no request for deferral of awards be requested and/or granted, awards not claimed within a period of three years will be forfeited.
What does it cover? The SAMRO Overseas Scholarships for Composers, administered by the SAMRO Foundation are awarded once every four years. The value of the main award in each genre is R160 000. The SAMRO Foundation will also fund the purchase price of an economy class return airfare to the overseas country in which the main award- winner will study, up to a maximum of R10 000.
Competition Rounds: The Scholarships competition in both the Western Art Music and Jazz/Popular Music genres will take place over the following two rounds:
-Qualifying Adjudication Round: This round will be adjudicated by a small panel of adjudicators on the basis of the Portfolios of scores and recordings submitted. The Qualifying Round is to ensure that the submissions of entrants are fully compliant with the requirements and are of a standard commensurate with this level of competition.
-Final Adjudication Round: During this round, the full adjudication panel, including an international composer in each genre, will individually examine the portfolio of the candidates after which a winner and the runner-up in each genre will be decided. A merit award may be made to a candidate who would benefit from further composition study, but who was not the winner or runner-up.
Concert Evening: Two works of the winners in both genres as well as one work of each of the runners-up will be showcased in performance on this occasion. The winners and the runners-up will have the opportunity to work with the performers of the works during the week before the concert event.
Notification: The names of all award-winners will be announced after the conclusion of the Final Adjudication Round. The Concert Evening will take place on Saturday, 30 August 2014 at a venue to be confirmed.
How to Apply: Apart from the Application Form, applicants must also complete and electronically submit a brief Curriculum Vitae with details as follows:-
-academic record and transcripts
-a list of works to date as well as of performances of these compositions (if any)
-a point-form biographical summary of the candidate's musical achievements year by year since 2011
b-Applicants must include, on a separate sheet, a detailed outline of their plans for further study abroad, together with copies of any supporting documents.
c-Applications must also be accompanied by
-For purposes of publicity and marketing, two high resolution jpegs – professional-quality photographs of the candidate (head and shoulders only), taken in the last 6 months
-A certified copy of the candidate's valid identity document as proof of age and citizenship
-At least 2 current testimonials regarding the candidate's musical/composition abilities from the candidate's
-most recent composition teacher
-any other competent and recognised musical authority to whom the candidate's compositions are known
-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.
-Submission of a portfolio and electronic audio versions of the works – either a digital recording or a live recording as detailed under Submission of Portfolios.
Please submit applications via Dropbox to: anriette.chorn-at-samro.org.za. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. No documents, photographs or recordings will be returned.
Scholarship Application Deadline: The application deadline is 30th May 2014.
Further Official Scholarship Information and Application (http://www.samrofoundation.org.za/Oschols_Regulations_2014.pdf)