Petri Scholarship

About Petri

Paul & Lillian Petri were both born in 1877. Paul was a tenor who studied voice in New York City before traveling to Europe to continue his musical training under eminent teachers in London and Berlin. Lillian Jeffreys Petri was an accomplished pianist who studied and taught piano in New York, Berlin, and London. Professor and Mrs. Petri were beloved music teachers, respected by their students throughout Oregon. Although the Petris have long since passed, their musical influence continues today. The Petris bequeathed their estate to the Benton Community Foundation (BCF) in Corvallis, Oregon to help talented young musicians continue their study of music.

Scholarship Competition

The 2023 Online Competition

Application Deadline by August 15, 2023. Apply online now.

Winners will be announced by August 31, 2023

One $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to the first place competitor and one $2,000 scholarship to the second place competitor.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a resident of Oregon or an Oregon high school graduate, and desire to pursue a musical career. Applicants who are currently attending school outside of Oregon may fulfill the residency requirement by submitting proof of graduation from High School in Oregon. Applicants must be 21 to 35 years of age at the time of the award.

Application Requirements

  • A completed online application form.
  • A cover letter uploaded into the application. Briefly explain your plans for music study and how you will use the scholarship award. Describe your goals for your music career and what affect this award will have on your career and professional life.
  • Biography of the applican not to exceed 150 words. Include past participation in competitions, festivals and other public events. Portrait photo in electronic format, to be used for the Competition brochure printing. Both of items should be uploaded into the application.
  • Repertoire list. Include all of the pieces you will perform at the competition with the timing for each piece notated. Repertoire should reflect the musical and technical demands of a formal recital, 70-80 minutes in length, and cover a variety of historical styles and genres. No changes in repertoire are allowed following submission of the application. For piano and voice, detailed repertoire requirements are listed below.
  • YouTube (or other video sharing sites) link to the video recordings. Each piece needs to be in single file. Multiple movements in a piece need to be in single file. Video recordings must be new and specifically for this scholarship. The Petri scholarship sign must be printed and featured in your video.
  • Proof of Oregon residence. Submit a copy of a current Oregon driver’s license and proof of an Oregon address for the past 12 months. Out of state students studying in Oregon should submit a photocopy of student ID, along with current college transcripts. Students who grew up in Oregon, but who are attending school elsewhere, should submit a copy of final transcripts or a diploma from an accredited Oregon high school or a GED issued by the State of Oregon.

Competition Rules

  • Decisions of competition judges are final.
  • A winner may not enter again.
  • Recorded accompaniments are permitted. Works written using supplemental sounds, including those either electronically or acoustically produced or pre-recorded, are not permitted.

Competition Procedure

  • Contestants must perform from memory. No repeats. Music for the ensembles does not have to be memorized.
  • Programmed music may exceed maximum time limit.
  • Applicants will receive comments from one of the judges.

Repertoire Requirements

Instruments

  • Solo repertoire from at least three different periods of music (baroque, classical, romantic, impressionistic, contemporary). Transcriptions are allowed.
  • Concerto performances are not permitted for piano.
  • Compositions for prepared piano may permitted.
  • Individual movements of suites, sonatas or other groupings that can be performed as musical units are permitted.

Voice

  • The program [a minimum of eight (8) selections] must contain repertoire in the original language from each of the following categories: (include the name of any identifying work from which a song is taken).
  • Two (2) arias from opera or oratorio repertoire, sung in the original key
  • German Lied
  • French Mélodie
  • Art song in English written after 1900.
  • At least three (3) additional song(s) or aria(s) of the entrant’s choice in the original language.

Apply Online

Applications open now and close on August 15, 2023.