From the onset of primary school education, I always had a scintillating interest to study music up to PhD level if I have the chance. I used to admire eminent composers like J.S. Bach and J. Brahms who had financial hardship like me and had to move here and there for their better-paid jobs, little did I know that my fate would be almost similar to theirs. This aspiration has remained alive in me, and presently, it is only logical that I complete my Doctor of Musical Arts (D. M. A.) in Piano Performance, a dream that will inevitably become reality if I find a solution to my current financial setback.
I plan to specialize in Concert Performance with sub-specialization in Theater Performance once through with my D. M. A. studies. Furthermore, I intend to teach Music at college or university level, which is in line with my career objective sharing my knowledge in music repertoires with other music students. As at now I am experiencing financial hardships hence cannot be able to accomplish these goals. The hardship is aggravated further by the fact that am a foreign student in the US from South Korea who cannot work off-campus. Overcoming these financial school fees is the overarching reason why applying for the Summer Thesis Scholarship.
Coming from a poor background, I have solely been dependent on scholarships and majorly grants from well-wishers as a means of raising school fees for the better part of my schooling period. In summer 2009, I received the Biggs VPA Scholarship in Piano, which facilitated my enrollment for a summer class. Unfortunately, last summer I was not awarded the scholarship and hence I could help but to miss the summer class. Currently, am a beneficiary of Teaching Assistantship that pays part of my tuition fee. From my past financial experiences, it is evident that I cannot pay tuition fees on my own without any external aid.
Despite going through the most thwarting moments of my life, I was never deterred from holding helm positions in school and church. In primary school, I was a class prefect in the fourth through to the sixth year. In high school, I was once a secretary of the student union and a leader of English Speaking Club. Again, during my high school years, I volunteered to nursery-home work once a month for three years. Currently I am involved in playing organ in a Lutheran Church, a duty that I perform wholeheartedly with regards to the strong conviction I have towards the church. In addition, I train other church members interested in playing organ, which provides me with an excellent avenue to share my music knowledge with the church members.
It is a requirement that everyone pursuing the D. M. A. to carry out a research project related to ones area of specialization. I have the honor, therefore, to give the committee a brief description of my Doctoral Thesis Proposal. The thesis is titled ‘The Piano Music of Manuel Infante: Rarely Played Spanish Repertoire for the Piano’. The primary purpose of this thesis is to thoroughly analyze the solo piano music of Manuel Infante and gather all available information about the composer, with a bigger vision of producing a document that will be considered a standard resource about this composer and his music. At present, I will not be able finish the research, which is a prerequisite for graduation, if I do not secure another funding to supplement the Teaching Assistantship, and hence I will not graduate on time. I am optimistic that I will be awarded this scholarship.
