John J. Cali School of Music
Two opera singers on stage

Vocal Competition

Scholarship Competition for Academic Year 2022-2023

We are pleased to announce our new Scholarship Competition for the John J. Cali School of Music Voice Program. We are seeking talented and motivated singers of all levels of study and of any nationality, to engage in the study of vocal performance with our distinguished faculty at Montclair State University, just minutes away from midtown Manhattan. Please read carefully the application requirements and instructions below. We look forward to hearing your virtual audition.

Submission Deadline

  • Applications & audition videos due date extended to February 1, 2022

Scholarship Information

  • Scholarships awarded from $1000 up to full tuition for Bachelors of Music in Performance
  • Scholarships awarded from $1000 up to $10,000 for Graduate Performance Programs:
    • Master of Music in Performance
    • Artist’s Diploma

Eligibility

Open to applicants of any nationality for the following programs:

  • Bachelor of Music in Performance
  • Master of Music in Performance
  • Artist’s Diploma (2 year)

Out-of-State Tuition Waivers may also be awarded to undergraduate applicants.

Awards to International Students are contingent upon requisite visas

Those who are offered scholarships will be notified by March 1, 2022. Recipients will have until March 15 to accept the offer.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are awarded a scholarship and plan to accept it, you must submit a complete application both to the Cali School of Music and to Montclair State University by March 15, 2022, the deadline for accepting your scholarship award.

Undergraduate Students Apply Here Graduate Students Apply Here

Preliminary Video Submissions

Repertoire

Selections should demonstrate candidates’ strengths, while covering a breadth of musical and vocal styles. Repertoire choices for the competition can be the same as those used for applying to the school. All pieces must be memorized.

Undergraduate Candidates:

Please prepare four (4) pieces from the solo voice literature, including:

  • One Italian art song or aria from the 16th-18th century
  • One 19th c. German or French art song
  • One 20th or 21st c. art song in English
  • A selection of the candidate’s choice

Masters Candidates:

Please prepare four (4) pieces from the solo voice literature, including:

  • One Italian aria or art song
  • One German or French aria or art song
  • One 20th or 21st c. aria or art song in English
  • One additional selection of the candidate’s choice

Please include at least one art song and one aria.

Artist’s Diploma Candidates:

Please prepare five (5) pieces.

  • At least four pieces must be from the standard operatic, art song, and/or oratorio repertoire.
  • Candidates must perform at least one selection each in Italian, French, German, and English.
  • A variety of styles, periods, and tempos should be presented.
  • At least two pieces must be operatic arias.
  • A fifth selection may be of the candidate’s choice in any language, style or musical tradition (i.e. spirituals, American song book, contemporary classical, operetta, Zarzuela, musical theater, etc.)

Submission Requirements

Please submit all materials in a single email to calivoiceprogram@montclair.edu :

  1. YouTube links for each of your pieces. Note: YouTube Privacy settings must be set to “unlisted” or “public”. If you select “private”, adjudicators will not be able to access your video. Selecting “unlisted” allows only people you share the link with to view your video.
  2. Resume
  3. Headshot (optional)
  4. 2 letters of recommendation
    1. 1 from a teacher
    2. 1 from a non-family member who knows your work.
  5. Artistic Statement (limit 250 words), detailing:
    1. Your musical background, experience, and goals
    2. What you hope to achieve at the Cali School of Music

Please email all materials to: calivoiceprogram@montclair.edu

Recording Best Practices

We recognize the world of self-taping can be daunting for many performers. Here are some tips and best practices to help you get started:

  1. Neutral, tidy backgrounds with space to move make the best backdrops for your video auditions.
  2. Neat, professional clothing similar to what you would wear in a live audition is greatly preferred.
  3. If filming with a phone, be sure to film in landscape (horizontally), not portrait (vertically).
  4. Film your audition from a single, stationary camera capturing at least the upper 2/3 of your body. Consider using a tripod or other objects to stabilize your camera. Do not change angles or zoom during the video.
  5. Professional video/audio equipment is not required. Many phones and tablets have acceptable recording quality. Please check audio quality/accompaniment balance.
  6. Take the time to record multiple takes and choose which one represents you best!
  7. Accompaniments may be live or pre-recorded.

There MAY be callbacks at the scholarship committee’s discretion. Those will happen between Feb. 4 and 18.