Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship (VAPA)

he Visual and Performing Arts have a prestigious home at Cal Lutheran. Whether staging a play in our Blackbox Theatre, touring the world with our CLU Choir, or pushing the boundaries of conventional art, our students pursue artistic expression without limits.

Incoming freshman and transfer applicants with superior talent in the areas of Music, Theatre Arts, or Visual Art can apply and audition for a VAPA Scholarship prior to enrolling at Cal Lutheran. Music and Theatre Arts Scholarships can be awarded up to $30,000 and are renewable for subsequent years.

To apply for the VAPA Scholarship you must complete the application form and audition.

Application

Auditions & Requirements

All students applying for this scholarship must audition or submit a portfolio to be eligible. Before scheduling an audition or portfolio review, you must have applied for admission to California Lutheran University. All auditions must be completed by February 28, 2020.

VAPA Music & Music Theatre Virtual Interview Day

• Saturday, February 20, 2021

Music

Music scholarships are offered to students who exhibit great promise as musicians and composers. Scholarship recipients are expected to show leadership in music department ensembles, productions, and maintain a record of academic excellence.

Scholarship Requirements

VAPA scholarships are awarded individually, and requirements for maintaining the scholarship will vary among recipients. All requirements will be outlined in the scholarship offer letter.

• VAPA scholarships in music are available to all Cal Lutheran students regardless of major.
• Perform in at least one major ensemble related to your audition area. Instrumental recipients must participate in the Mariachi Ensemble, the String Symphony or the Wind Ensemble. Vocal recipients must participate in a choral ensemble.
• Enroll in private lessons at Cal Lutheran each semester.
• Regularly attend the Music Department's Performance Forum each month.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Although students are encouraged to apply in one audition area only, the music department may allow an audition in two areas (ex. voice and viola, or flute and piano) if the student is planning to participate in multiple ensembles related to their audition areas. Please contact the music department (musicscholarships@callutheran.edu) for more information.

Auditions

Video Auditions

All applicants are required to submit an application for admission to Cal Lutheran. Video submissions are required by February 20, 2021. Instructions will be provided after the student submits their VAPA Application.  All applicants will also be required to complete a virtual interview on or before February 20, 2021. 

Audition Requirements:

1. Winds, Brass & Percussion

• Play the chromatic scale (wind and percussion students only) and a major scale of your choice in at least two octaves ascending and descending.
• Play a solo or etude that demonstrates your lyrical and technical performance level. Any work suitable for solo and ensemble festivals would be appropriate. If you are auditioning in person, please bring music for the accompanist that will be provided for you.

2. Strings (Violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar)

• Prepare two (2) contrasting works of any length. Please note that the chosen repertoire should best reflect your musicianship and technical ability. Pieces with piano accompaniment must be performed with piano. Should you require an accompanist, please indicate this in your application and bring the sheet music with you on the day of the audition. 

3. Vocal

• Sing two memorized contrasting pieces from the classical repertoire that represent your best vocal ability. Contrasting styles include mood, tempo and languages (Latin, Italian, French, German and English). While it is preferable that the audition demonstrates your ability to sing in a classical style (art songs and arias), you may include one piece from the Musical Theater repertoire.
• In person auditions are a wonderful opportunity to visit the campus, listen to the choirs and meet the voice teachers. If distance doesn’t make a live audition feasible, you may submit a video via YouTube (no DVDs or CDs accepted).
• If auditioning live, please bring music for the accompanist that will be provided for you. CD accompaniments are not allowed and a cappella auditions are discouraged.

4. Piano and Organ

• Play the chromatic scale and a major scale of your choice in at least two octaves ascending and descending (two hands).
• A solo work from the standard classical repertoire that demonstrates your technical and lyrical ability.

5. Composition

• Submit two written scores of original pieces. Recordings of these scores are encouraged (midi ok) but not required.

Send Materials to:
Mark Spraggins
CLU Music Department
60 West Olsen Rd #4000
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

6. Music Production

• Submit 3 examples of original music. For each example, write a paragraph describing how the music was produced and indicate which software and audio hardware tools were utilized. Audio tracks may be submitted in person, as a link to SoundCloud or other music sharing website, or uploaded to YouTube as a video (see guidelines on video auditions).

• All materials must be received by February 20, 2021 to be considered for a music scholarship. In-person auditions are not necessary for music production scholarship applicants.

7. Mariachi

For live and video auditions, Mariachi VAPA applicants should perform 2 songs of contrasting style and tempo from any of the Mariachi genres, including the son jalisciense, ranchera, huapango, bolero, and polka, etc.

If applicants play more than one instrument, or sing and play an instrument, please submit 2 songs total, performing one song on each instrument/voice.

Students may perform solo or with a recording or backing ensemble. Please make sure you can be clearly seen and heard individually if submitting video auditions.

Music Production

 

Scholarship Requirements

• VAPA scholarships are awarded individually, and requirements for maintaining the scholarship will vary among recipients. All requirements will be outlined in the scholarship offer letter.
• All students receiving a VAPA award in music production are required to major, or double-major in music production.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Audition Requirements

Submit 3 examples of original music. For each example, write a paragraph describing your creative process, how the music was produced, and include any information about software or audio hardware tools. Please email materials to spraggin@callutheran.edu. Please put “VAPA Scholarship Materials” in the subject of the email.

Audio files may be submitted as a link to SoundCloud or other music sharing website, or uploaded as a YouTube video.

All materials must be received by February 20, 2021 to be considered for a music scholarship. 

Virtual auditions are not necessary for music production scholarship applicants.

Theatre

Auditionees should have considerable theatrical experience either in performance or in design/technical theatre. Past auditionees often played lead roles, were student directors, stage managers, designed productions or had significant technical experience.

Scholarship Requirements

For the scholarships to be renewed annually, awardees must:

• Students receiving $30,000 or more in a VAPA scholarship must be a Theatre Arts major.
• Attend mandatory department meetings and work days throughout the year
• Audition each semester, if a performer
• Serve on a running crew each semester or enroll in a 1 credit theatre lab each semester.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress by maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA

Auditions

Virtual Zoom Audition

Applicants are highly encouraged to virtually audition (or interview for musical theatre) on the Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship Audition Day (Saturday, February 20, 2021). If you select to virtually audition in person, you will be contacted by the department once your application is received.

Audition Requirements:

1. Acting

• A resume of theatre experience (headshot suggested but not required)
• Letters of recommendation are suggested but not required
• Two contrasting audition selections (1 comic, 1 serious)
  • If you have the experience, it is recommended that one of the monologues be a Shakespeare monologue.
• The total audition length should be under 4 minutes

2. Musical Theatre: Video submission and virtual interview required 

• 1 monologue (Either comic or serious)
• A resume of theatre experience (Headshot suggested but not required)
• 16 bars of an up-tempo song from musical theatre (Sheet music required)
• 16 bars of a ballad from musical theatre (Sheet music required)
• An accompanist will be provided
• The total audition length should be udner 4 minutes
• Letters of recommendation are suggested but not required

3. Theatre Design: Costumes, Scenery, Lighting, Sound, Stage Management

• A resume of theatre experience (Headshot suggested but not required)
• Letters of recommendation are suggested but not required
• A portfolio of design or technical work. Please include as many of the following as possible:
  • Sketches
  • Renderings
  • Production photographs
  • Paperwork
  • Pictures of set models
  • Sound Designers: audio files
  • Stage Managers: prompt books

Note: If submitting online/video audition - DESIGN/TECHNICAL APPLICANTS MAY EMAIL A SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATION OF THEIR WORK OR POST A LINK TO A WEBSITE ON WHICH THEIR WORK IS POSTED.

Video Submission 

Auditionees may submit their audition (see audition requirements above) by uploading the video on YouTube, or other online video platforms.

Instructions on how to submit your video audtion will be provided after VAPA application submision and is required by February 20, 2021.

Fine Art

Auditions are not required for the Visual Art Scholarship. Students applying for a Fine Art Scholarship must submit the following by February 20, 2021:

1. A 10-Slide portfolio (JPEG format)
2. Portfolio should be added to portfolio (instructions will be sent after VAPA application is submitted).

Scholarship Requirements

• All students receiving a VAPA award from the Art Department are required to major or minor in Art.

Multimedia

Multimedia students create works over a wide variety of mediums: print, interactive web design, digital cinema, photography, motion graphics, animation and game design.

Please submit 5-10 examples of your best work in any of these areas by February 20, 2021:

• For print work, logo design, posters or brochures please submit PDF files or link to your portfolio site.
• For web, UX, UI work please submit a link to websites or interfaces that you have designed.
• For photography work please submit JPEG files or link to your portfolio site.
• For digital cinema, motion graphics or animation work please upload these files to YouTube or Vimeo and provide a link.
• For game design prototypes please contact vapa@CalLutheran.edu for instructions on how to submit them.

Scholarship Requirements

• All students receiving a VAPA award in Multimedia are required to major or minor in Multimedia.

Applicants will be able to submit their work via their VAPA Portfolio (information provided after VAPA Application is received).

Policies

• Students may audition for scholarships within the Multimedia, Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Art categories; however, if offered multiple VAPA scholarships, the student can only accept an award from one department and must decline all other offers.
  
  
• The VAPA Scholarship replaces (if higher) any academic scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, or Public Price Promise Scholarship the student was awarded.
  
  
• Students cannot receive an Academic Scholarship (or Presidential Scholarship), the Public Price Promise Scholarship, and the VAPA Scholarship at the same time.
  
  
• If a student is awarded an Academic Scholarship (or Presidential Scholarship), or Public Price Promise Scholarship prior to being determined eligible for the VAPA Scholarship, they will be given the option to choose one of the three scholarships they would like to use while attending Cal Lutheran.
  
  
• The student must retain the scholarship they choose at that time (Academic/Presidential/Public Price Promise or VAPA Scholarship) and may not change their award decision after they begin attending Cal Lutheran.
  
  
• Students must meet annual eligibility requirements to maintain the VAPA scholarship.

Questions?

For more information about the VAPA Scholarship, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission.