Music Scholarships and
Graduate Assistantships

Music scholarships are available for undergraduate cellists and bassists for participation in music ensembles regardless of academic major. Graduate assistantships of up to $10,000 annually are also available. Both awards are based on a live audition, applicable test scores, previous academic record and experience. Apply for this financial aid while also applying for college entrance. Please click here to request more information or to schedule an audition.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSULA) was founded in 1884 as Louisiana Normal School. It is a state-supported, comprehensive, co-ed university that awards associate, bachelors and masters degrees. The main campus is located on 1,000 acres in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The 2003 College Blue Book says that, "Educational spending 2000-01: $1462 per student. Total enrollment: 9,415. Student-undergraduate faculty ratio is 30:1. 3,576 applied, 100% were admitted. Students come from 38 states and territories, 23 other countries, 6% are from out-of-state, 25% are 25 years old or older, 35% live on campus and 5% transferred in. Retention: 67% of 2001 full-time freshmen returned."

NSULA's College of Liberal Arts, School of Creative and Performing Arts has been designated a "Center of Excellence" by the University of Louisiana's Board of Supervisors. The Division of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. In 2005, there were 186 music majors of which 150 were education majors. Degree offerings include the Bachelor of Music in Performance, the Bachelor of Music/Sacred Music Concentraton, the Bachelor of Music Education and the Master of Music.

String instrument instruction at NSULA began in the 1940's. In 1967, Dr. Joseph Carlucci established the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society which provides string scholarships for participation in the orchestra regardless of academic major. The string music faculty consists of three full-time faculty: Dr. Douglas Bakenhus, Conductor of the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Andrej Kurti, Assistant Professor of Violin and Paul Christopher, Assistant Professor in Low Strings.