Graduate school can be expensive, but some students will have the opportunity to reduce their debt by showcasing their talent.

Sponsored by Marjorie Jane Brewster Memorial Scholarship, the School of Music is holding a scholarship competition for its students tonight in Esber Recital Hall, Music Building I.

The $14,000 scholarship is a lot of money, but for some competitors, it isn't all about the cash.

Erik Shinn (senior-music education) said that winning the scholarship will not only ease some financial burdens but also give the winner a confidence boost in performing.

"We're looking to perform for a living," he said. "Any time you can go out there and win a competition is a plus for us."

The competition is open to School of Music students interested in attending graduate school after graduation. They must be nominated by a School of Music professor.

Scholarship candidate Gretchen Renshaw (senior-music) has plans to study abroad in England. She said that the competition will be extremely helpful in her effort to afford graduate studies.

But Renshaw also understands that winning isn't everything. For her, music is also about getting to share the hard work and practice she puts into her instrument, the euphonium, with an audience.

"Finally getting to perform for other people is definitely the highlight," she said.

Once nominated, students can apply for the competition as instrumentalists, vocalists, conductors, composers, teachers, and even academic writers.

David Stambler, a professor of saxophone and judge at tonight's event, said in order to compare the talent of students from different musical majors, the competition will be judged by professors from all different areas of music.

A complex system of scoring will be used to ensure that no two students receive the same score, he said. A student will receive seven scores, the high and low ones will be tossed out and an average of the middle numbers will reveal their final scores, he said.

The grand prize of $14,000 will only be awarded to a student with a score of 98 or above. If no student scores at least a 98, the prize money will be split between the two highest.

"We handle the judging kind of like the Olympics," Stambler said.