Rossini Club’s Music Scholarships

The Portland Rossini Club holds a scholarship competition for Maine high school juniors and older to assist them in funding their higher education in music. Funds are raised through concert ticket sales, member dues, investments, and predominantly from your generous donations.

With the cost of a college education exponentially increasing, the Portland Rossini Club feels it is important to award scholarships to assist Maine students in their pursuit of higher education in music. The scholarship competition, with awards in voice, piano, and other instruments, is typically held every other year in June in Portland, Maine. A new award has been added for 2026 for a junior or senior who is not yet college bound, but shows great promise In a musical career.

To make a real difference in the lives of music students from Maine, please help these budding musicians pursue their dreams by donating to our scholarship fund.

THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Rossini Club’s annual scholarship competition for music students includes the following categories:

• Emily K. Rand Instrumental Scholarship
  • The Emily K. Rand Instrumental Scholarship was established in 1932 in memory of the Portland Rossini Club’s third president, a vocalist, who presided in a distinguished manner for 25 years.
• Lucia A. Wright Piano Scholarship
  • The Lucia A. Wright Piano Scholarship was established in 2001 as a bequest of pianist Lucia A. Wright, a member in good standing for 55 years.
• Barbara C. Littlefield Vocal Scholarship
  • The Barbara C. Littlefield Vocal Scholarship was created in memory of the Club’s longtime treasurer, vocalist Barbara Littlefield.
• Marie Thomas Award
  • The Marie Thomas Award was established in 2023 as a bequest of a benefactor and advocate of the arts in the Greater Portland area. It is for a Maine junior or senior high school student who shows outstanding music promise.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

• These scholarship competitions are open to all residents of the State of Maine.
• Applicants must be high school juniors or older and be planning further musical study in the Fall of 2026 at any accredited music school, college, or university.
• Juniors and Seniors in high school are eligible for the Marie Thomas Award.
• Previous first place winners of the Rand, Wright, or Littlefield scholarships may not apply.

WHAT IS EXPECTED AT THE AUDITION?

• Applicants in each competition must perform at least two compositions or movements representing two different periods as follows: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and/or 20th/21st Century. Candidates studying other than classical music must perform one classical selection. A repertoire sheet, which lists each work and/or movement plus composers’ dates must be submitted. Please indicate the publisher and edition of each selection.
• The total performance should be at least ten minutes and is not to exceed fifteen minutes.
• Applicants must provide their own accompanists. The Rossini Club Scholarship Committee will furnish a list of suggestions for local accompanists, who must be available to play on the yet to be determined date in June 2026. Electronic accompaniment is permitted under certain circumstances.
• Vocalists must perform ENTIRELY BY MEMORY.
• Pianists and Instrumentalists must perform AT LEAST ONE SELECTION FROM MEMORY.
• One published edition of the music must be provided for the panel of three judges

Competitions will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026 beginning at 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at St. Luke’s Cathedral, 143 State Street, Portland ME 04101.

APPLICATION RULES

Applications for Rossini Club Scholarship auditions are DUE ON MAY 15, 2026

• These scholarship competitions are open to all residents of the State of Maine.
• Applicants must be above the age of 17 who are planning further musical study in the Fall of 2026 at any accredited music school, college, or university.
• Previous first place winners of the scholarships may not apply.
• Applicants in each competition must perform at least two compositions representing two different periods as follows: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and/or 20th/21st Century.
• The total performance should be at least ten minutes and is not to exceed fifteen minutes.
• Applicants must provide their own accompanists.
• Vocalists must perform entirely from memory; Pianists and Instrumentalists must perform at least one selection from memory.
• One published edition of the music must be provided for the panel of judges.