Scholarships and Bursaries
EXAMINATION SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES
JOHN GOSS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
RACHEL JOY BROWNELL MEMORIAL BURSARY
Barrie Cabena Music Scholarship
The Godfrey Hewitt Scholarship
EXAMINATION SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES
Awards are made on the results of the examinations. In order to be eligible for a scholarship, a candidate must pass both the Practical and Paperwork examinations at the same session, and the average mark must not be less than 75%.
The Willan Scholarship
$800 for the highest marks in the Fellowship examination
$700 for the highest marks in the Associateship examination
The Kathleen Williams Scholarship
$400 for the highest marks in the Colleague examination
$200 for the highest marks in the Service Playing examination
The John Sidgwick Memorial Scholarship
$1,000 for the highest marks in the Professional Diploma in Choral Conducting, to be applied to further studies in choral conducting. This will be given to the candidate on presentation of proof of registration in an accredited course in choral conducting within the following four years.
The Rollinson Prize
$200 for the highest marks in written work in Associateship, provided that the average mark is not less than 75%.
The Charles Peaker Prize
The prize consists of Volumes 1 and 2 of Organ Music in Canada and will be awarded to the second-place overall successful candidates in the Associateship and Fellowship written and practical examinations.
The Doreen Porter Prize
$300 for the highest marks in the test portion of the FRCCO Practical examination.
The Ruth & Ralph Barker Prize
$250 for the highest marks in the test portion of the ARCCO Practical examination.
The Heather Spry Prize
$300 for the highest marks in written work in Fellowship, provided that the average mark is not less than 75%.
JOHN GOSS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Awarded every two years in the even numbered years, the John Goss Memorial Scholarship is in memory of the late John Goss, FRCO, former conductor of the National Ballet of Canada and relative of his namesake, the British composer Sir John Goss. The scholarship of up to $3,500 is awarded to an individual for advanced organ study outside Canada. The winner must intend to return to Canada to pursue his/her career. Past winners have been Peter Nikiforuk (1988), John Charron (1990), Sarah Macdonald (1992), Andrew Henderson (1996), Brennan Szafron (1998), Craig Humber (2000), Jonathan Oldengarm (2004), Stephen Fraser (2006), Ryan Enright (2008), and Donald Hunt (2010).
All applicants must meet the following requirements:
Canadian citizen.
Aged 30 years or less as of June 30, 2012.
Member of the RCCO.
Associate diploma of the RCCO or equivalent or superior qualifications.
Graduate from a university, conservatory or college after June 2009.
Intend to return to Canada for the purpose, though not necessarily the exclusive purpose, of performing on the organ.
Applications, to be considered complete, must be submitted by March 31, 2012, and include the following:
A resumé.
A specific plan of study listing the institution or individual that the applicant intends to study at/with.
Three references. These references should attest to the candidate's ability, potential and financial need.
A CD recording of the required works listed below. The works must all have been recorded between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012. All the playing must be done at the same session on the same organ.
Each work must be presented with no splicing or editing. No identification may be on the CD except the names of the pieces in the order recorded. The cassette must be accompanied by a written statement, signed by a witness, that the recording is the applicant's own work. The total playing time should not exceed 30 minutes.
The following works are required:
i) J. S. Bach: 3 Orgelbüchlein chorales (contrasting nature/own choice);
ii) 3 selections from the organ masses by François Couperin or from the mass or hymns by Nicolas de Grigny;
iii) The First movement Allegro of Symphony 2 by Louis Vierne;
iv) A Canadian piece of appropriate difficulty chosen by the applicant.
Questions should be addressed to the RCCO National Office, 204 St George Street, Suite 202, Toronto, ON M5R 2N5, Tel: (416) 929 6400,
Fax (416) 929 2265, email: manager@rcco.ca.
THE LORNA & MURRAY HOLMES SCHOLARSHIP
The Lorna & Murray Holmes Scholarship is available annually, providing $1,000 to a student entering a programme of organ or church music studies at a Canadian University. Preference will be given to students beginning undergraduate studies. Applicants must hold membership in the College. A letter of application must be accompanied by proof of acceptance at a Canadian University, two letters of reference from people able to assess the candidate's suitability for the scholarship and a list of the applicant's academic and musical achievements and awards.
The deadline for application is May 15th each year. Complete applications should be sent to: The Lorna & Murray Holmes Scholarship, c/o The Royal Canadian College of Organists, 204 St George Street, Suite 202, Toronto, ON M5R 2N5.
RACHEL JOY BROWNELL MEMORIAL BURSARY
Rachel Joy Brownell was born and grew up in rural Manitoba, moving later to the village of Port McNicoll in the southern Georgian Bay area around the early 1920s. She remained there until her death in 1999. She died just two weeks short of her 103rd birthday. In spite of the isolation in which she lived, she had a positive outlook and was highly motivated to learn and she gladly passed along her skills and knowledge to others. This annual bursary of $300 is given by her son George Brownell and her granddaughter Kathryn Brownell.
Purpose of the Bursary: To expand the musical horizons of organists from isolated communities by allowing them to attend the annual RCCO National convention where no option to do so would otherwise be available.
Qualifying criteria:
Current member of the College in good standing.
Preference will be given to applicants who live over 500 km from site of the convention but those who live closer will be considered.
May hold Service Playing Certificate or CRCCO, but not Associate, Fellow or other post-secondary diplomas or degrees.
Preference will be given to applicants who have never before attended an RCCO Convention.
Preference will be given to females over the age of 45, but male and younger candidates will be considered.
Deadline for Applications: March 31st each year.
Interested members of the College who qualify should write a letter of application to the Chair, College Development Fund, RCCO, 202-204 St George St, Toronto ON M5R 2N5.
Scholarships and Bursaries offered by Centres
Barrie Cabena Music Scholarship
The Waterloo-Wellington Centre administers the Barrie Cabena Music Scholarship. Its purpose is, firstly, to honour the contribution made to excellence in church music in Canada by Barrie Cabena, composer, teacher, performer, and secondly, to assist a deserving student(s) in the formal study of organ, church music, and/or composition at the post-secondary school level.
The Barrie Cabena Music Scholarship Fund was initiated by the Waterloo Wellington Center of the RCCO in 2004 on the occasion of Dr. Cabena’s 71st birthday. Contributions may be made to the “RCCO Cabena Scholarship”. Receipts will be issued by the RCCO National Office.
Full details are found on the downloadable application form.
Applications for the 2012 Barrie Cabena Scholarship will be received up to May 1st, 2012.
The Godfrey Hewitt Scholarship
$5,000 annually
Administered by the Ottawa Centre
Godfrey Hewitt, C.D., D.Mus. (Cantuar), FRCO, Hon. ARSCM, died in 2002 at the age of ninety-three. Born in 1909 in England, in 1931 he became Organist and Master of the Choristers at Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa, and remained there for half a century, until his retirement in 1980. Famed as performer, teacher, composer, and organ designer, Dr. Hewitt was awarded the Lambeth Doctorate of Music by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and was a Member of the Order of Canada.
This scholarship, amounting to $5,000 annually, was established after his death both to honour his memory and to increase the number of highly-trained professional Canadian organists, not only to serve as organists in universities, concert halls, and churches, but also to teach future generations of performers.
Winners:
2005 - Craig Humber
2006 - Isabelle Demers
2007 - Michael Unger
2008 - Ryan Jackson
2009 - Matthieu Latreille
2010 - Shawn Potter
2011 - Wendy Nieuwenhuis
The next annual competition for the Godfrey Hewitt Memorial Scholarship in organ will close on April 30, 2012. Details may be found on the web site of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, Ottawa Centre: www.rcco-ottawa.ca/scholinfo.html
There is also a Godfrey Hewitt Prize of $5,000, awarded as the Grand Prize bi-annually at the National Organ-Playing Competition at the RCCO Convention; the next Prize will be awarded in 2013.
Further details may be obtained from:
Frances Macdonnell
613-726-7984