2025 Marcus Awards Applications Now Open

Once again, The Council of Canadian Bassoonists is proud to present two annual scholarships honouring a legend of the Canadian bassoon world…The Frank Marcus Awards.

FRANK MARCUS AWARD MISSION STATEMENT

“The Frank Marcus Award celebrates the spirit of community within the Canadian bassoonist community. Aligned with the values of the Council of Canadian Bassoonists, this scholarship is dedicated to fostering the development of bassoonists of all ability and experience levels. We warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds, embracing their unique musical journeys while prioritizing passion and potential to identify committed musicians eager to explore and express their dedication to the bassoon” – Emily Gibb.

HERE ARE THE DETAILS…

Scholarship Awards

First Place: $1500

Second Place: $500

Key Dates

March 1, 2025: Online Applications Open

July 31, 2025: Online applications due by 11:59 pm PST

August 15, 2025: Conditional recipients notified by email.

Students have six months to redeem their scholarship vouchers, paid by eTransfer.

A huge bonus to this years’ prizewinners:
Frank Marcus has generously offered each of the two winners
a complimentary full day of work on their instruments!

Application Requirements

You will need to submit through the online application form found here. Your complete application will include three components:

Short Written Response (250 – 500 Words): “How have you demonstrated commitment and discipline in pursuing your musical goals, and how would this scholarship help you further your aspirations?”
Performance Examples:
- Please record yourself performing ONE of these excerpts.
- An example (10 minutes maximum) of a notable solo performance from the past two years. Please state your repertoire title & composer on video and/or in the video description.
Reference Letter: from a current or former teacher, professor, musical director, or studio instructor.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply, you must:

be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada as of the application deadline.
be enrolled in, have applied for, or will apply for full-time admission to an eligible conservatory, certificate, diploma, bachelors, masters or doctoral program at a Canadian institution. Canadian students enrolled in an institution outside of Canada are eligible to apply.
Foreign students studying in Canada on approved Visas are eligible.

Students selected as conditional recipients of the 2024 Frank Marcus Awards must provide the COCB with Proof of Enrollment for the Fall 2025 term by August 31, 2025, to be confirmed as a recipient and receive the award.

For a proof of enrolment document to be valid, it must all of the below:

- Full name of student.
- School name.
- Academic term and year enrolled.
- Date issued.
- Program of study.
Letters of acceptance and offers of admission do not adequately prove enrolment in the 2024-2025 academic year.

How Applications are Evaluated

All applicants are evaluated by at least three COCB board members on the following two standard criteria:

Your Written Statement and your submitted Performance Examples
A letter of recommendation from a teacher, which attests to your character and musical achievements.
Indication of financial need or hardship hindering accessibility to the study of bassoon.

QUESTIONS?

PLEASE CONTACT THE COUNCIL OF CANADIAN BASSOONISTS SCHOLARSHIP TEAM AT: EMILYRA.GIBB@GMAIL.COM

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