Details and Eligibility

Limited financial aid is available to students who are enrolled at least part-time in a college or university music program, with exception of the Perry award which is open to everyone. While we would love to fund every applicant fully, at this time our program is primarily tuition driven, with additional support from the William Thomas McKinley Foundation for American Music. Most years, our awards will range from $100 to $500. In addition, an assistantship will be available for students of current composition faculty and/or who are studying music full-time at one of our partner institutions. The assistantships come with nominal duties that may include assisting the program director with administrative and technical work (recording concerts, etc.). If you are interested and eligible in one or more of these awards, you will be asked after you have enrolled in the program to submit, after receipt of your application, a letter of recommendation from a current or former composition teacher, and a copy of your most recent course enrollment/registration to verify academic status.

​Our awards bear the name of four late American composers: David Stock (undergraduate award), a prolific composer and tireless supporter and advocate of fellow composers, especially those who were young and in the emerging stages of a career, Leslie Bassett (graduate award), a Pulitzer-prize winning composer who was a beloved teacher and mentor for a number of generations of composers  at the University of Michigan, Julia Perry, a mid-twentieth century musical pioneer, and William Thomas McKinley (alumni commission), a formidable jazz pianist and prolific composer of nearly 400 works, who was a highly respected and loved teacher of composition and jazz at the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Chicago.

The David Stock Award (Undergraduate)

• A single award open to applicants who are students enrolled at least part-time in undergraduate music study at an accredited US-based institution (college or university). 
• Award: Up to $350

The Leslie Bassett Award (Graduate)

• A single award open to applicants who are students enrolled at least part-time in graduate music study at an accredited US-based institution (college or university). 
• ​Award: Up to $500

The Julia Perry Fellowship

• A single merit-based award open to all applicants regardless of educational status. 
• Award: $500

The ALBA Festival Assistantship

• Open to all applicants who are willing/able to do some small work for the program before and during the festival. Duties might include social media coordination, archival audio recordings of concerts and workshops, and general support of the director and program guests while in Alba. More than one award may be given.
•  Award: Up to $500

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The William Thomas McKinley Alumni Commission

• A yearly commission for a new work to be premiered at the Alba Festival, awarded to one of the past composition fellows. Alumni apply in October of each year as part of an internal call. 
• Award: Commission to compose a new work. Commission amount is variable each year.
  

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David Stock

Leslie Bassett

Julia Perry

William Thomas McKinley

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