February 14, 2008
ASCAP Foundation Provides Scholarships for Songwriting Majors
Belmont University announced today that The ASCAP Foundation will provide scholarships for students majoring in the new Songwriting program offered through the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. A $5,000 gift from The ASCAP Foundation will provide two songwriting majors $2,500 each to offset tuition expenses in the 2008-2009 academic year. This assistance from The ASCAP Foundation, especially for a new major, is of paramount importance to students as they enroll and commit to an education that prepares them to contribute and prosper in the entertainment industry.
James Elliott, Coordinator of the Songwriting program, expresses Belmont’s gratitude for the support, “We appreciate The ASCAP Foundation investing in the lives of the aspiring songwriters at Belmont University. Our unique major in Songwriting is designed to equip our students with the tools they need to attain success in the music industry, and these scholarships from ASCAP will be a real help to students in need.”
The Foundation’s gift builds on a tradition of ASCAP support for student songwriters at Belmont. For more than three years, ASCAP has sponsored a Writers’ Night Series hosted by the Curb College in the Curb Café, a student run venue. Produced by Belmont students, the series consists of three shows each semester that feature three Belmont student writers in tandem with an established, veteran songwriter from the industry.
Of the long standing relationship, Dan Keen, ASCAP Vice President of Membership, says, "ASCAP and Belmont University are bookends to Nashville's Music Row. In between are publishing houses and record labels full of ASCAP songwriters who have graduated from Belmont University. ASCAP is proud of those songwriters, and we feel called to nurture the songwriters of tomorrow. We are confident that through the support of The ASCAP Foundation we can help them catch the dreams they chase. We're honored to provide these scholarships.”
About The ASCAP Foundation
Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs.
Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs, and public service projects for senior composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. www.ascapfoundation.org
About the Songwriting Major
Last fall Belmont became one of the first accredited universities in the nation to offer a major in songwriting with 50 student songwriters filling the first two introductory courses to capacity. Songwriting veterans Thom Schuyler, Bob Regan, and Drew Ramsey have joined the Curb College faculty as adjunct instructors to teach Introduction to Songwriting, the first course offered in the new major. Housed with the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at historic 34 Music Square East, Belmont’s songwriting program provides immense opportunities for garnering necessary skills while being surrounded by inspiration from Nashville’s top mentors in the craft.
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About Belmont University
Named one of the top two “Schools to Watch” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont University is a fast-growing community of more than 5,400 students who come from every state and 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. The university’s purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs. With more than 75 areas of study, 20 master’s programs and three doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu.
For more information visit www.belmont.edu
