Visual and Performing Arts Scholarships

Academically qualified Knox applicants with special ability in music, theatre, dance, and visual art may receive scholarships up to $8,000 per year. Awards are based on an audition or portfolio presentation in up to two seperate areas of performance. 

If you're applying for admission under the Early Action option, present your portfolios or auditions by November 1 for Early Action I or December 1 for Early Action II. The deadline for Regular Decision candidates is February 1. To arrange an interview or audition, please contact the Office of Admission at least a week in advance of your visit. (If you are unable to visit campus prior to the deadlines, see alternative options below.)

Art Portfolios
Most successful candidates have taken two years of art in high school and present portfolios of 12 to 15 pieces of work in at least two media, including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and other art forms. Works submitted should not be reproductions from photographs. An art professor will discuss your portfolio with you.

Dance Performance
Present two short dance pieces representing a range of styles. Faculty members are likely to provide feedback and direction to re-work portions of your presentation. If your performance requires music, please bring your own CD.

Music Auditions
Prepare a work suitable for performance, as noted below. You'll also be asked to sight-read an appropriate musical piece and discuss your background and aspirations with a music professor.

Instrumental
You should prepare either a standard solo piece with piano accompaniment or an appropriate technical etude without accompaniment. You are not required to memorize your performance piece.

Piano/Organ
Perform a standard piece, preferably from memory.

Vocal
You should perform, preferably from memory, a selection from the standard classical repertoire that shows your voice to the best advantage. (Show tunes, rock, and pop selections are not advised.) A member of the music faculty will provide accompaniment.

Theatre Performance
Prepare two pieces, one serious and the other comic. One should be from the classical repertoire (Greek, Shakespeare, Moliere, etc.), and the other should be modern (post-1875). Each should be approximately two minutes in length or less. Each piece should consist of one character. While it is acceptable to assume the presence of another character or to edit and combine speeches, do not attempt to play more than one role per piece.

Select pieces within your range and avoid the "big moment" speeches, such as Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy or Emily's (Our Town)"Oh world, you are too beautiful." Selections should show range, and there should be contrasts both between the selections and within each selection. The pieces should be fully memorized and staged to include movement.

You will discuss your acting process with a member of the theatre faculty, and you may be asked to re-do sections of your audition piece to incorporate a new intention, a different emphasis, or other directorial suggestions.

Theatre Design
Scholarship applicants in theatre design, stage management and technical theatre should submit a portfolio of designs, photographs, working drawings, prompt books, etc. The application process also includes an interview with a member of the theatre faculty.

Portfolio Presentation and Audition Alternatives
If you do submit your portfolio or audition via mail, it should follow the same guidelines as an on-campus audition with the following changes or additions:

Art
Arts submissions should consist of photographs or slides of each individual work and a list of each piece's title, dimensions, and medium. Works submitted should not be reproductions from photographs. Please do not submit original pieces.

Dance
A recorded dance audition should follow the guidelines specified above and include oral responses to the following questions/prompts: How long have you been studying dance? What forms/dance styles have you studied? Who choreographed the work you are auditioning? How do you see dance fitting into your college experience? Our dance minor is a well-rounded program in that our course work includes: dance technique, dance history, dance theory, improvisation, anatomy, choreography & production. Do you have any experience in any of these fields of dance? What would you be interested in learning more about at the college level? Videos containing segments of recent performances will not be considered.

Music
A recorded music audition including the required performance piece, a sight-reading piece that is supervised by a current instructor (this should be one piece of music chosen by your instructor and not shown to the applicant until the recorded audition; vocal students should be given the first note), a copy of the sight reading sheet music, and a statement from the student regarding his or her musical training, background, and experience. Videos containing segments of recent performances will not be considered.

Theatre
A recorded theatre audition should follow the guidelines specified above and also include oral responses to the following questions/prompts: What is it you enjoy about doing theatre? Describe your appoach to rehearsal and performance. You might want to talk about specific roles you have played or other experiences you've had.

Please note that your recorded audition must follow the guidelines for audition pieces; video containing footage of other performances will not be considered.

NOTE: Be advised that, because of the quality of audio and video reproduction and the lack of interaction, submissions made via mail generally fare less well, particularly in music and theatre.

Submissions cannot be returned. Deadlines for submissions are November 1 for Early Action I applicants, December 1 for Early Action II applicants, and February 1 for Regular Decision. Mail to:

Knox Arts Scholarships
Knox College Office of Admission
2 East South Street
Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4999

To arrange and interview or audition -- or to make other arrangements -- please contact the Office of Admission.

Notification
Candidates are notified of their scholarship awards at the time of admission.

General Scholarship Guidelines
Scholarship candidates must be admitted to Knox and be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Scholarship recipients often qualify for additional need-based financial assistance, including grants, work-study programs, and loans. Scholarships are renewable annually as long as recipients remain in good academic standing.