Sansom Foundation Award Application
The Sansom Foundation has been in operation since 1958. The Foundation focuses on music and the arts. High school students from Collier County, Bonita Springs and Estero will be eligible to compete for the Sansom Award. The Award will permit the winners to receive private music lessons for one year with a teacher selected by the Music Foundation of Greater Naples. The award may be renewed one year at a time based on the Sansom Committee’s assessment of the student’s progress and the recommendation of his or her private teacher.
Rules & Regulations:
The award is intended for high school students whose families cannot afford private music lessons. However, private lessons in the past will not eliminate the candidate as long as they can attest that they are on the “free and reduced Lunch Program” and/or their family income is less than $75,000 per year. Students must complete the attached application, and have it signed by a parent and music instructor. In addition to the application a personal essay about what “Music means to them and how they expect the Sansom Award will benefit them” must also be submitted. Students’ are required to participate in an audition that is scheduled for September 9, 2023. The audition solo should not exceed 4 minutes. No accompaniment is required. You can play/sing a short solo of your choice or a piece of music that you are presently working on in your school music ensemble.
Key Dates:
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Application, Recommendation Letter, and Essay are due to the Haegg chairman by September 1, 2023. You do not have to send the check list.
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Auditions are on Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and will be held at St. Monica's Episcopal Church, 7070 Immokalee Road, Naples 34119.
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All selected applicants will be notified by email of their specific audition time, no later than Monday, September 4, 2023. Please call 239-450-4035 if you do not receive the notification.
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The winners will be notified by email no later than Friday, September 15.
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The decision of the judges is final. Private lessons for the winners will start in September or October 2023.
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Completed application - either only or print an mail (see below).
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Music Teacher's letter of recommendation - in PDF format to upload below.
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Student personal essay in PDF format to upload below. The essay should address why is having music in my life important, and how will this award be beneficial to you.`
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Be prepared to perform a short selection, no more than 4 minutes in length. No accompaniment is required. Applicants must provide one original score and two evaluation copies of their music for the judges on the competition day. The evaluation copies will be destroyed by the Music Foundation. No copies will be made at the audition site.
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There will be no registration fee for this award competition.
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Applicants must dress appropriately for the audition. Girls should wear knee length or longer dresses/skirts or dress pants. Boys should wear a shirt, tie and dress pants and shoes. No jeans, athletic wear, or sandals. School concert music uniform is also acceptable.
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The completed application form, the music teacher’s recommendation which also contains confirmation of participation in the “school free or reduced lunch program” or family income is below $75,000.00, and the student’s essay must be post-marked on or before September 1, 2023. Applicants will be disqualified if the application is incomplete or postmarked after the stated deadline.
If you are having difficulty with the online application, you can download and print the application and mail it to:
Cathy Pflieger, Sansom Committee Chairman
Music Foundation of Greater Naples
3722 Pino Vista Way, Unit 2
Estero, FL 33928
You can also email all forms via attachments to fleafam88@gmail.com.
