Scholarship FEMC

For area youth, Friday Evening Music Club encourages students who study with FEMC members to perform on the recital series. FEMC also offers a $1,000 scholarship competition each year for any high school senior from Westmoreland or Fayette County who plans to major in music at an accredited college or university.

We congratulate flutist Kaitlyn Dotson. our 2022 Scholarship Winner, we are glad to support her as she starts her music studies at West Virginia University this fall.

Mildred A. Gardner Scholarship Award Competition – 2023 Guidelines

Download a PDF Application

Open to any current high school senior who resides in either Westmoreland or Fayette Counties and who will be a music major at an accredited college in the Fall of 2023.

For the preliminary audition, contestants should submit the online below, as well as a digital recording of two pieces in contrasting styles which exhibit their technical and musical abilities (Please EMAIL these recordings directly to Morrie Brand – [email protected])

  • Alternatively, applicants may print and mail the audition form (pdf above) and send a CD or tape with their two recordings.
  • Those chosen as finalists may elect to perform the same or different selections at the live audition. Performance time should not exceed 12 minutes. Due to time constraints, selections may not be heard in their entirety.
  • Contestants will be judged according to technique, rhythmic accuracy, intonation (not for piano), musicality, tone production and performance skills.
  • Judges are not required to award a winner if competitors do not meet FEMC standards.
  • Memorization is required where it is common practice to use it (piano, voice).
  • As needed, applicants must provide their own accompanist.  Finalists are strongly encouraged to use professional accompanists.
  • The winner will be invited to perform at a future Friday Evening Music Club Recital.
  • Contestants are asked to submit a $20 application fee to cover administrative costs.
  • Deadline for applications: January 6, 2023
  • Finalist Auditions: January 28, 2023 (tentative, location TBD)
  • For more information about the Friday Evening Music Club Scholarship Competition, contact Morrie Brand at [email protected]

2022-2023 Season

Learn More

Recent blog posts

Grand Piano – March 11, 2023

Saturday, March 11, 2023 • 7:30 p.m. The Palace Theatre, Greensburg Tickets The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra presents Grand Piano on March 11, 2023 at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The concert opens with contemporary American composer Jennifer Higdon’s Machine followed by guest pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 ‘Emperor’ and concludes with Tchaikovsky’s… Read More

Read more

Young Artists Competition 2023 Winners Announced

2023 WSO & Seton Hill University Young Artists Competition Winners’ Recital (GREENSBURG, PA) The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra announces that the 2023 Young Artists Competition Winners’ recital will be held at the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center on Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. On Sunday, February 5th, the finalists competed for cash… Read More

Read more

The WSO Welcomes New Musicians and Announces Several Promotions

The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director Daniel Meyer are pleased to announce the appointment of several new musicians and several promotions. They include three new members of the first violin section: Emilia Poirer-Molina, Mariya Krastanova and Danielle Barbosa and a second violin Anderson Lacerda was offered a one-year contract. The group also includes two new viola section players Charlie… Read More

Read more