Out of the approximately 45 first-year students who are selected to be Richmond Scholars each year, approximately six are designated Artist Scholars. To be eligible for the Richmond Scholars Program, the Office of Admission must receive a completed application for admission by the University's December application deadline. To qualify to be considered for the Artist Scholars designation, additional application materials are required. The Office of Admission manages the entire Richmond Scholars Program application process and questions regarding your application should be directed to staff in that office. The Richmond Scholars Program, including the Artist Scholar designation, is unrelated to the music department's scholarship program, and students are encouraged to apply to both programs if they feel they qualify.
Scholarships and Awards
Music department scholarships listed below are available to majors as well as non-majors. Scholarship winners must agree to participate actively in the Music Department and maintain a B (3.0) average in their music courses.
Endowed Music Department Scholarships
Endowed Arts Scholarship
Endowed Residency
Music Awards and Prizes for Current Richmond Students
Endowed Music Department Scholarships
To be considered for an endowed music scholarship, an audition is required. Please see audition information.
Suzanne Kidd Bunting Scholarship
The scholarship was established in 1998 by friends of Suzanne Bunting, who served as University organist, faculty member and long-time department chair from 1961 until her retirement in 1999.
Hannah Coker Music Scholarship
Established 1978 by a gift from Hannah L. Coker, a graduate of Westhampton College in 1923. Over her 25-year career at the University of Richmond, she taught music appreciation, music history and piano, founded the music library and was the music librarian.
Quincy Cole Memorial Scholarship
Established in 1969 through the bequest of Quincy Cole in the Windsor Foundation, which Mr. Cole began through his will and named for his home in Windsor Farms in Richmond. Mr. Cole attended Richmond College in the Class of 1912 and was one of the founders of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
Margaret Downer Music Scholarship
Established in 2000 by Margaret Taylor Gallaway in honor of her mother, the scholarship gives precedence to an outstanding voice or piano student.
F. Flaxington Harker Scholarship
Established in 1953 by the bequest of Edith Clark Harker, W’33, in memory of her husband, F. Flaxington Harker, who had been organist and choirmaster at St. Paul's Episcopal Church from 1914–1932. Mrs. Harker had been a professor of voice at Westhampton College. The scholarship is for a Westhampton College student in the Department of Music with preference to piano and organ students.
Margaret E. James Scholarship
Established 1964 by the bequest of Minnie K. James (Mrs. William Carey James) in memory of her daughter, Margaret, who was a member of the Westhampton College Class of 1916 and a music teacher. The scholarship is for Westhampton College students of piano.
Frederick Neumann Scholarship
Frederick “Fritz” Neumann (1907–1994), a native of Bielitz, Austro-Hungary, taught at the University of Richmond from 1955–1978. A violinist, he founded the University Symphony and served as the first concertmaster of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. He was also a renowned scholar of performance practice in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The scholarship was established in 1987 by friends in honor of Dr. Neumann’s 80th birthday.
Puckett Family Scholarship
The scholarship was created in 1994 from a gift from Virginia McIntosh Puckett, W’34, and Charles W. Puckett, R’32, in appreciation of the educational opportunities given to them and their daughter Mary Elizabeth Puckett Maddox, W’66, during their student days at the University of Richmond.
Hilton Rufty Memorial Scholarship
Established in 1974 as a memorial fund at the death of Hilton Rufty, who had been associate professor of music at University of Richmond since 1946. He had also been organist at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and St. Giles’ Presbyterian Church in Richmond. The scholarship is for a student in the music department.
Hazel I. M. Sternheimer Scholarship
The scholarship was established in 1991 by Mark and Anne Sternheimer and family in honor of Mark’s mother, Associate Professor of Harp at the University of Richmond from 1939–1942.
Frank I. Stockstill Scholarship
The scholarship was established in 1983 by Susan Stockstill in memory of her husband, who enjoyed playing oboe in the University of Richmond Symphony.
Endowed Arts Scholarship
Dunkum Award
A partial scholarship, approximately $25,000 per year, is competitively awarded to a full-time female undergraduate Virginia resident who majors or minors in performing arts (theatre, music or dance). This scholarship may be renewed as long as the student continues as a full-time undergraduate student, maintains satisfactory academic progress and continues to participate in the performing arts.
Endowed Residency
The F. Ralph Swanson, R’26, and Mary A. Swanson Artist-in-Residence Fund
The fund was established in 1987 by an estate gift from Mary A. Swanson. This fund brings musicians to the campus every year for several days. In addition to performances, the musicians work with students in classrooms and rehearsals.
Music Awards and Prizes for Current Richmond Students
Bobby Chandler Award
The award was established in 1989 by Mr. Homer H. “Kip” Kephart in memory of Mr. Bobby Chandler and is given annually to an outstanding music major.
Hesch Award
The award was established in 1995 by the family of Dr. C. J. Hesch and is given annually to an outstanding student who has made significant contributions to the music department through participation in ensembles, applied lessons and/or classes.
Roy Jesson Music Prize
The prize was established in 1974 by friends of Jesson, University of Richmond piano instructor from 1955–1961, after his untimely death in 1972. It is awarded to a music student or graduate who excels in performing, conducting or composing.
Phi Kappa Mu Music Honorary Society
Students are eligible to join Phi Kappa Mu after achieving second-semester sophomore status and a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 15 hours of music courses, of which no more than six are ensemble participation. The Richmond Phi Kappa Mu chapter staffs the spring music major auditions and sponsors the annual music banquet.