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Pogorzelski-Yankee Memorial Scholarships

The Pogorzelski-Yankee Memorial  Scholarships are awarded for a period of up to four years to four undergraduates.  One entering college freshman scholarship was awarded for the 2023-2024 academic year ($15,000 annually). Each award is renewable if requirements are met.

The online application period began January 1st and extended to February 15, 2023. The AGO Committee on Scholarships reviewed the scholarship applications from February 15 to April 15, 2023 and determined the scholarship recipient. The applicant’s present performance ability was necessarily the starting point; however, applications were judged by the potential for future performance excellence at the organ, and whether financial support would make a crucial difference in the applicant’s career as an organist. Questions and Answers about the Pogorzelski-Yankee Scholarship Application

Application Information for the 2023-2024 Scholarship
  1. Student applicants must be an entering college freshman in Fall 2023.
  2. Students must have a desire to commit a significant portion of the two years following graduation to teaching, performing, or other serious endeavor with respect to the organ.
  3. Students must attend, or plan to attend, a nationally or regionally accredited post-secondary institution (college, university, or conservatory). By the time awards are made, students must provide verification of acceptance to the institution.
  4. Students must attend their institution as full-time students.
  5. Students must have verifiable financial need to be awarded this scholarship.
  6. Membership in the AGO is required.
  7. Applicants may not be the children or grandchildren of American Guild of Organists staff members, board members, or scholarship committee members.
  8. Applicants may not be related to Ronald G. Pogorzelski or Lester D. Yankee.
Performance Requirements for the 2023-2024 Scholarship

Students must have the ability to showcase their talent on the organ through four (4) unedited, contiguous video recorded performances: three repertoire pieces and one hymn.  Outstanding performances can occur at any playing level. Performances will be judged based on the quality of the performance, not the difficulty of the music. The focus should be on demonstrating excellence in performance at the applicant’s current level of playing. Each recording must clearly show the applicant performing at the organ console. It must be of sufficient quality to ensure a fair assessment of the candidate’s abilities by the application reviewers. Different instruments may be used; the candidate must provide a specification for each instrument used. Individual pieces may not be edited. We strongly encourage candidates to seek assistance from a school representative, technical adviser, or instructor to complete the video requirement.

    • The total time of the three repertoire recordings (not including the hymn) combined should not exceed  30 minutes.
      • One composition by J.S. Bach is required (for a trio sonata, your Bach submission should be two sonata movements – either I & II or II & III).
      •  Two additional contrasting works composed after 1800 are also required.
    • The performance of the hymn is not  to be counted as a part of the 30-minute time limit for the repertoire pieces.
      • Any one of the following hymns is required: 1) “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” – Divinum mysterium, 2) “All Creatures of our God and King” – Laast uns erfreuen, or 3) “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” – Lauda anima.  An introduction and a full rendering (all verses) should be included, as if you were leading your congregation in singing the entire hymn.
    • If multiple organs are used, applicants must list the type of instrument for each piece.
Additional Application Requirements
  1. Students must provide two letters of recommendation: One from their most recent organ instructor, and one from another music or education professional.
  2. Students must compose and submit two essays, each up to 750 words in length: 1) Why do you need this scholarship? Explain the degree of your financial need, and outline any extenuating circumstances, and 2) Describe your passion for the organ and its literature. Each essay must be written at a level of sophistication expected of an incoming or current college student. The essays should focus on goals, achievement and dedication, and financial need. The essays will be judged not only on their content, but on clarity and college-level writing ability.
  3. Students must provide information about family income, including an “estimated family contribution” towards college determined by the 2023 FAFSA. This means applicants must have already completed a FAFSA application for the 2023-2024 academic year.
  4. Students must submit an official transcript from their high school or college.
  5. Students will be required to  submit a copy of their admissions letter if available.

All materials must be submitted online by the application deadline. There is no application fee. Applicants should be informed on or near April 15, so that they can include this award information with the school of their choice.

The freshman scholarship will be awarded to the entering freshman only after his or her final acceptance into an organ-related degree program. As per the donors’ wishes, students must agree in writing to commit a significant portion of the two years following graduation to teaching, performing, or other serious endeavor with respect to the organ.

A Ronald G. Pogorzelski and Lester D. Yankee Memorial Scholarship is renewable only if scholarship recipients maintain an overall 3.0 academic GPA in all music coursework. Those who do not maintain this grade point average or for any reason fail to maintain good standing at their academic institution will be placed on probation for a semester; if the situation is not corrected, they will lose the remainder of the scholarship funding. It will not be reinstated. Should a recipient decide to transfer to another accredited music program, the scholarship can be transferred by the recipient if they meet all of the other requirements for maintenance of the scholarship.

The scholarship will be disbursed directly to the recipient of the scholarship.  Two payments will be issued, one at the beginning of the fall semester and the other at the beginning of the spring semester. Before the final disbursement of the scholarship, each scholarship recipient must provide the committee with documentation that he/she will graduate with the intended degree.

Current Students Awarded for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

Ethan Chow, College Freshman Award – The Juilliard School
Henry Rye, College Sophomore Award – St. Olaf College
Marshall Joos, College Junior Award – Rice University
Jacob Gruss, College Junior Award – The Juilliard School

Contact AGO Headquarters.