The mission of the Yavapai Symphony Association is to provide high-quality classical music performances and to develop, promote, and enhance classical music appreciation in Yavapai County.

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The Association will achieve a portion of the Mission by

• Developing revenue streams in support of music scholarships for the advancement of classical music appreciation and talent development for young musicians.

To this end, the Yavapai Symphony Association Music Scholarship Award has been established as an annual project of the Association to be funded from annual accumulated earnings from the Endowment Fund of the Yavapai Symphony Association (the Endowment Fund), scholarship grants, and patron scholarship donations. The accumulated earnings of the Endowment Fund, scholarship grants, and patron scholarship donations, as of May 1 of each year, shall be transferred to the YSA Scholarship Award Fund. In the event no scholarships are awarded in any year, the earned income shall be retained in the YSA Scholarship Award Fund and be available for scholarships to be awarded in future years.

Application Pre-requisites

Consistent with the Mission Statement, applicants for awards shall be limited to residents of Yavapai County (including the city of Sedona). Applicants shall be on track to graduate from an accredited secondary school as determined by the State of Arizona or shall be a full time student at an accredited institution of higher learning. Applicants must be music majors and plan to enroll or be enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning. Preferential consideration will be given to applicants with a strong interest in classical music.

Scholarship Terms And Award Criteria

Scholarship awards shall have a term of one (1) year with the option for recipients to reapply in subsequent years. There may be multiple recipients in any year. The Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee shall determine the amount of any individual award. Scholarship Awards shall be based on the committee’s evaluation of the applicant’s application and supporting documentation, financial need, letters of recommendation, music education goals and accomplishments, and interview with the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee.

Scholarship Requirements

Applicant must complete the YSA Music Scholarship Application Form and attach the following supporting documentation.

• A copy of the applicant’s high school transcript or college transcript if applicant is currently attending a college, university, or conservatory
• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from the applicant’s music teacher or ensemble director
• A resume of applicant’s participation in high school, college, and community arts music programs
• Applicant’s parents/guardian must complete the YSA Scholarship Financial Need Form
• Applicant may be required to provide a video or CD to document their performance level
• Award finalist will be interviewed by the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee in person in Prescott or by on-line video conference (i.e. Skype)

Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee

The Executive Committee of the Yavapai Symphony Association at the beginning of each concert season shall appoint a Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee of at least three (3) including:

• President,
• 1 or more members of Board of Directors
• 1 or more individuals from the community with a music education or music performance background; however, such committee members shall disclose any conflict of interest with an applicant’s education

Scholarship Timetable & Deadlines

The Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee shall be responsible for announcing and publicizing the application/recommendation timetable and deadlines as follows:

• October 1 – Notify all Yavapai County High Schools, Music Education programs at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University, and other identified music education programs and teachers of the application/award process
• February 1 – Applications are due for committee review
• March or April – Formal review of applications by the Scholarship Recommendation Committee – depending on the date of the final concert (April or May)
  Scholarship award finalist are interviewed by the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee
  Board of the Yavapai Symphony Association approves funding for Scholarship Awards
• Final Concert Of The Season – Scholarship award winners are announced

Intent of the Scholarship

It is the intent of the Yavapai Symphony Association that award funds be used to offset the cost of higher education at an accredited degree granting institution. Scholarship funds are not to be used for purchase of instruments or other musical equipment.

Scholarship awards will be paid directly to the financial aid office of the recipient’s accredited institution. It is the responsibility of the award winner to notify the Yavapai Symphony Association once final acceptance and institutional commitment has been made. Award recipients will provide the name of the college, university, or conservatory he or she will be attending and must provide, in writing, the name and address of the institution’s financial aid office.

It is the responsibility of each scholarship recipient to report gift income, if applicable, for tax purposes.

Application Procedures

Please Note: Applicants must be residents of Yavapai County (including the city of Sedona), Arizona.

Applicants shall send a typewritten Letter of Application with the required attachments to the following address:

Yavapai Symphony Association
Attn: Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee
PO Box 2333
Prescott, AZ 86302

The Applicant’s letter must include the following attachments:

• A completed YSA Music Scholarship Application Form. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS PDF FORM
• A YSA Financial Need Form completed by parents or guardian. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS PDF FORM
• A typewritten resume of applicant’s participation in high school, college, and community arts music programs.
• A copy of the the applicant’s high school transcripts and college transcript if applicant is currently attending an institution of higher learning

Applicants should have two (2) letters of recommendation, preferably from the applicant’s music teacher or ensemble director, sent directly to the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee at the address noted above.

After the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee has completed its initial review of submitted applications, applicant may be required to provide a video or CD to document their performance level.

Award finalist will be interviewed by the Scholarship Award Recommendation Committee in person in Prescott or by on-line video conference (i.e. Skype).