THE MARTON L. CARROLL GUITAR GRANT
The Marton L. Carroll Charitable Foundation
Mission Statement:
The goal of the Marton L. Carroll Guitar Grant is to help strengthen the St. Louis area and the greater Midwest as a center for classical guitar study and performance. In order to accomplish this, we will make an annual presentation of a concert-quality instrument to a deserving student of classical guitar. This instrument will become the personal property of the recipient and will hopefully enable and inspire them in their mastery of the instrument.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 23 years old as of the filing deadline on June 30 and must be a student of classical guitar, either in a school (high school, college or university) or studying under a private guitar coach in the Midwest area - Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nebraska. Applicants must have demonstrated a dedication to the study of classical guitar and music and they must also display general academic capabilities. Applicants must also be able to articulate their goals and plans for pursuing a higher level of guitar studies/performance.
Application Process:
Completed applications may be submitted as early as September 1 and must be submitted no later than June 30 and shall consist of:
A completed application form (attached).
An essay written by the applicant detailing their current educational status, their current guitar/music
program affiliation, their musical and guitar-related goals and how a high-quality instrument will help them
achieve their goals.
A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s current guitar/music instructor.
The applicant’s current school transcript, including cumulative GPA (optional).
At least one but not more than three letters of recommendation from school counselors, teachers,
principals, pastors, etc. attesting to the applicant’s character and dedication to the study of classical guitar (optional).
Performance video if available (sent as an attachment or YouTube link)
Most importantly, the applicant must adequately convey their dedication to the further study of classical guitar and describe the benefit they would gain by having a concert-quality instrument.
Evaluation and Selection:
All applications received by the filing deadline of June 30 will be carefully reviewed and evaluated by the Grant Committee to identify up to three finalists who may be asked to appear before a panel of impartial judges for further evaluation to include a personal interview(s) and a short performance to display their current level of musicianship and guitar mastery. The Grant Committee and judges will arrive at a consensus decision of the most deserving applicant and will announce their choice by July 31. The announced decision of the recipient shall be final and not open to dispute.
The Marton L. Carroll Guitar Grant is open to any student of classical guitar in the Midwest region who meets the general eligibility requirements described above and will not discriminate on any basis of race, religion, national origin, gender or any other factor other than merit as described above.
Award Presentation:
The successful applicant will be presented with a concert-quality classical guitar that is intended to be a pivotal component in their future musical pursuits. The presentation shall ordinarily be made during the month of August in order to be available for the student entering the fall semester of study.
You may apply online by completing the form below, then email St. Louis Classical Guitar your essay, letters of rec, current transcripts (optional), and performance video.
E-mail attachments to:
You may apply by mail by sending the following information to our address below, along with your essay, transcript, and letters of rec.
APPLICATION FOR THE MARTON L. CARROLL GUITAR GRANT
Applicant name: ________________________________________ Birth date:_____________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________ E-mail: _________________________________________
Current music program affiliation: ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Current music program instructor/sponsor: _______________________________________________________
Contact: ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Current level of guitar study: __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Current school affiliation (please attach a current transcript with cumulative GPA): __________________________________________________________________________________________
Immediate and long-term study plan (please elaborate in your essay): ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________ Signature of applicant
Date____________
Please send your completed application along with your essay, a performance video (on CD or thumbdrive), transcript and letter(s) of recommendation to:
The Marton L. Carroll Guitar Grant
3224 Locust Street
#2H
St. Louis, MO 63103
Incomplete applications and those received after June 30 will not be considered. All applications will be acknowledged in writing at the contact address provided. Unsuccessful applicants are eligible to reapply in a subsequent year.
By applying for this grant, applicant agrees to allow for full publicity of the award and its presentation at the discretion of the Grant Committee, including full media release to allow for photos/videos of the recipient to be published in perpetuity.