The National Guild of Piano Teachers is a division of the American College of Musicians. It is the nonprofit organization that boasts the highest number of piano teachers and students in the world. Its purpose is to encourage pianists throughout the country to share their passion for piano.
The organization also encourages young talents by granting scholarships.
Scholarship applications for $200 awards in 2010 are available at the Piano Guild's home page. This merit-based scholarship is only applicable to students continuing their piano study and who submit the application in the same year they finish completing the requirements.
American College of Musicians
P.O. Box 1807
Austin, TX 78767
512-478-5775
pianoguild.com
The Chopin Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that helps support America's bright new talents in their career development. The National Chopin Competition occurs every five years in February in Miami, Florida. To prepare for the competition, scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis. To apply for a scholarship, students must be U.S. citizens or legal residents and be between 14 and 17 years old by the application deadline. However, if the student is already in the scholarship program and is applying for a renewal, the age restrictions do not apply, as long as he continues to study the piano and maintains satisfactory academic standing.
The National Chopin Competition entails substantial prizes for the winners: up to $20,000 cash and a U.S. concert tour for the first-place winner, $15,000 cash for the second-place contestant and $9,000 cash for third. The application is available online on the foundation's home page. Each applicant must submit a video recording of himself playing a Chopin composition, references from piano teachers, a career goal statement and a $25 registration fee.
Chopin Foundation of the United States
1440 79th St. Causeway, Suite 117
Miami, Florida 33141
305-868-0624
chopin.org
The Young Musicians Foundation is an organization based in California that provides financial assistance and performance opportunities to young musicians. Each year, YMF organizes a scholarship competition that comprises four days of auditions, after which stipends are allocated according to a need-based and talent-based policy.
To be eligible, applicants and their parents must be residents of Southern California. An applicant must have completed her senior year of high school and is expected to pursue musical studies in college. The applicant must provide a written statement addressing his career goals and achievements, as well as a recommendation letters from a current teacher. The application is available on the foundation's webpage.
Young Musicians Foundation
195 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 414
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
310-859-7668
ymf.org