Manhattan College Shines Light on Student Performers with Talent Scholarship

MC website and finding the scholarship.

Every year Manhattan College’s Performing Arts department gives performing arts scholarships to incoming freshmen and progressing students who are recommended by faculty from the department. The scholarship is one of the many talent scholarships offered by the college.

The scholarship is $2,000 a semester and is renewable for up to eight semesters. It is mainly offered to incoming freshmen who establish talent in the performing arts, whether that be singing or playing an instrument. Freshmen must also go through an application and audition process to be considered for the scholarship.

Andrew Bauer, P.h.D, is the director of music and coordinator of performing arts. He spoke with The Quadrangle about his role as coordinator and how he assigns certain recipients to different musical ensembles to fulfill their scholarship requirements.

“[Recipients] must maintain active membership in at least two performing arts ensembles,” Bauer said. “For example, if you’re a saxophone player, you might be assigned to jazz band and pep band. If you’re a singer, you can be assigned to the Music Ministry and Manhattan College Singers.”

Recipients are expected to be in attendance for every practice of the ensemble they are a part of and participate in all concerts and performances that their ensemble organizes. Recipients are also expected to take on leadership within their ensembles as they progress and gain more experience.

Luis Chavez, a senior sounds studies major with minors in theater and music, is a performance arts scholar and is assigned to Manhattan College Singers, as well as being a pianist for the Jazz Band. He is a Peruvian immigrant and he recalls looking through the

“I took two years off after high school to work full time.” Chavez noted. “So I could help my parents with the green card application, with [expenses] for my brother and sister’s schools and rent. I applied to colleges and I was scouring the website for scholarships and I found [the performing arts scholarship] one and I applied coming into my freshman year.”

Chavez talked about the different opportunities and projects he has gotten into due to his involvement in the performing arts. Chavez was able to orchestrate a song that is now being performed by the choir. He has been able to experiment with music and has even learned the violin in his career at Manhattan to further examine music and dive creatively into the process of composing music.

“Over last year, I’ve gotten into arrangement, orchestration and composition, which has been really, really exciting for me, taking up a lot of my free time, which is really exciting,” Chavez said. “[Orchestra] has helped me learn a lot about how to write for [choir], and it’s helped me learn how orchestra reversals are conducted… it also opened my mind to the possibilities of what this instrument can do.”

The scholarship requirements call for the recipients to be part of two musical groups on campus. Chavez said this taught him time management as well as discipline.

“It teaches you discipline and time management. And you know, showing dedication to something,” said Chavez. “I need to find a balance of times when I can dedicate to my work and keep my grades up so I can keep my academic scholarship but also keep my responsibilities and my attendance and my concentration on rehearsals for my art scholarship. It’s about balance.”

Although the scholarship is only advertised towards freshmen, sometimes when current students are very in- volved in performing arts and show versed talent, exceptions can be made.

Matt Regalado, a sophomore biochemistry major, is a guitarist. He explained his involvement in performing arts and how he got the scholarship later on.

“I sort of got involved [with performing arts] at the end of my first semester and then I kind of involved myself in different groups and then Andy saw that I played guitar and I sort of cultivated a relationship with him,” Regalado said. “Through that, he saw me as a fit candidate for the scholarship, which I’m eternally grateful for.”

Regalado, just like Chavez, explained that performing arts scholars put a lot of time and effort into their musical work as well as their academic work.

“It’s a lot of things to do all at once. It’s keeping up with an 18 credits semester… and looking for internships, and a bunch of labs, homework, independent research and resume building,” Regalado said. “On top of that, it’s music and the groups that I have commitments towards, and I do work study for Andy. So I try to keep up my hours and do my part too.”

Sarah Rosen, a senior mathematics major with a minor in physics and a concentration in theoretical physics, wrote via email about the opportunities that the performing arts scholarship gave her and the sense of community they have experienced while being in performing arts.

“Personally, this opened up the opportunity, financially, for me to register for summer classes.” Rosen said. “Coming to rehearsal is an escape from the stress of classes while at the same time, I have learned and improved many skills like reading music, arranging pieces, singing, and playing flute. The Performing Arts program as a whole has given me the opportunity to connect with students across many different disciplines.”

Students like Regalado are grateful to be part of these groups on campus. He believes that this scholarship provides more than just monetary aid as it allows students to dive deeper into their passion for music and share it with others.

“The scholarship is money for my financial future and professional career. But [in these musical groups] everyone is so nice and everyone treats each other like family,” expressed Regalado. “Andy cultivates an environment of peace, friendship and order. It’s just serenity when all else fails. It is very comfortable and the ideal place to make music, because to make music is to be vulnerable. And, you know, the vibes in that environment, it lends itself to good music.”