Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship (VAPA)

The Visual and Performing Arts have a prestigious home at Cal Lutheran. Whether staging a play in our Blackbox Theatre, touring the world with our Wind Ensemble, 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 March 4, 2017.

VAPA Music & Theatre Audition Dates

• Saturday, February 4, 2017
• Saturday, March 4, 2017

Music

Music scholarships are offered to students who exhibit great promise as musicians, composers, and music producers. 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.

• Recipients of our largest scholarships ($30,000 per year) will be required to major in music or music production.
• Perform in at least one major ensemble related to your audition area (vocal and instrumental scholarship recipients only). Instrumental recipients must participate in either the CLU Symphony or the CLU Wind Ensemble.
• Regularly attend the Music Department's Performance Forum each month.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  
  Note: Music scholarship recipients are NOT required to be Music Majors, however, students receiving a scholarship in Music Production must major or double-major with a B.A. in Music Production.
• 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

In Person Audition

All applicants are strongly encouraged to attend our Performing Arts Scholarship Audition Day. All applicants are required to submit an application for admission to CLU. The audition dates for Fall 2017 admission are on February 4, 2017 and March 4, 2017. If you choose to audition in person, you will be contacted by the department to schedule your audition time once your application is received.

For applicants who cannot attend Audition Day but still wish to audition in person, please contact the music department at 805-493-3305 or musicscholarships@callutheran.edu to schedule an alternate audition date.

Audition Requirements:

1. Instrumental (Strings, Winds, 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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 4, 2017 to be considered for a music scholarship. In-person auditions are not necessary for music production scholarship applicants.

Video Audition

In person auditions are encouraged and are a wonderful opportunity to visit the campus, sit in on classes, listen to ensembles rehearse, and meet students and faculty. If distance doesn’t make a live audition feasible, you may submit a video via YouTube (no DVDs or CDs accepted). If submitting a YouTube video audition, please set the video to "Unlisted." Title your video "CLU Music Audition: [Your Name]," and include the full titles of the works performed in your video description. Please send the YouTube link to musicscholarships@callutheran.edu.

All online links should be emailed to musicscholarships@callutheran.edu by February 4, 2017 to guarantee scholarship consideration.

If you have questions, or need assistance with the video audition process, please contact musicscholarships@callutheran.edu.

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:

• Maintain a 2.5 GPA
• Enroll in a 1 credit Theatre Lab each semester (TA360)
• Attend mandatory department meetings and work days throughout the year
• Audition each semester, if a performer
• Serve on a running crew each semester, if a designer or technician
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

Auditions

In Person Audition

Applicants are highly encouraged to audition on one of the Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship Audition Days (Saturday, February 4, 2017 OR Saturday, March 4, 2017). If you select to audition in person, you will be contacted by the department once your application is received.

If you are unable to audition in person but would like to schedule another day to audition, you can contact the Theatre Arts Administrative Assistant, Natalie Helton by email (nhelton@callutheran.edu) or by calling 805-493-3452.

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

• 1 monologue (Either comic or serious)
• 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

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 Audition

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

If submitting a Youtube video, please set the video to "Public." Title your video "CLU Theatre Audition: [Your Name]," and include the full titles of the works performed in your video description. Add nhelton@callutheran.edu as an authorized viewer in your Video Manager.

All online links should be emailed to nhelton@callutheran.edu.

If mailing a DVD, please send to:
Theater Arts Department
ATTN: Natalie Helton
60 W Olsen Rd #7800
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Visual Art

Auditions are not required for the Visual Art Scholarship. Students applying for Visual Art Scholarship must submit:

1. A 10-Slide portfolio CD (JPEG format)
2. Each slide should be no bigger than 800 dpi in any direction
3. Portfolio must be addressed to:

   California Lutheran University
   Art Department
   Attn: Christine Sellin
   60 W. Olsen Rd #3900
   Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Multimedia

Auditions are not required for the Multimedia Scholarship. For portfolio and interview information, please contact Randy Toland.

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.