The David Swenson Foundation Percussion Scholarship is a four-year award granted to those outstanding musicians pursuing a degree in music at St. Cloud State University whose primary instrument is percussion. The award is competitive and its distribution is based upon the results of an audition process.

Percussion scholarship currently awards $14,000 over a four-year period. The award is divided into four $3,500 yearly awards and is applied towards tuition through the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid. Renewal is based upon committee review of each recipient's academic standing, ensemble participation, and satisfactory progress towards a degree in music.

David Swenson was a 1976 Bachelor of Science graduate in music education at St. Cloud State University. He was a percussionist with multiple goals in music and life, and before his early and tragic death in April 1992, he established a foundation dedicated to education in the percussive arts at St. Cloud State University.

How to apply

The David Swenson Foundation Scholarships are awarded through application and acceptance to St. Cloud State University and through competitive auditions held February through April of each academic year. All awards are renewable with successful completion of academic and performance criteria.

Audition, performance and continuation criteria information:

Dr. Terry Vermillion, Percussion Studies
tvermillion@stcloudstate.edu / (320) 308-5237

Department of Music
St. Cloud State University
720 Fourth Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498

Percussion Collective

Percussion Studies Guest Artist Series

Terry Vermillion, Professor of Music: Percussion Studies

 

Percussion Studio Entrance and Scholarship Auditions

Students should demonstrate abilities on snare drum and a mallet keyboard instrument.

 

Snare Drum

• Prepare one etude or solo that demonstrates control of tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and tone.
• Play the following rudiments in an open-closed-open (slow-fast-slow) manner:
  • Alternating single strokes
  • Double bounce (open) roll
  • Paradiddle
  • Buzz (closed) roll
• Sight play a simple snare drum etude.

 

Mallet Keyboard Instrument (marimba, xylophone or vibraphone)

• Prepare an etude or solo that demonstrates control of tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and tone.
• Play the following major scales one octave: C, G, D, E, F, Bb, Eb, Ab
• Sight play a simple mallet keyboard etude.

 

Drum Set

• Students seeking applied instruction on drum set must demonstrate basic stick control and rhythmic understanding. Basic stick control should be demonstrated by playing the following rudiments in a slow-fast-slow manner:
  • Single strokes
  • Double strokes
  • Paradiddles
• Basic understanding of rhythm should be demonstrated by sight playing a simple snare drum etude of the professor's choice.