Paul Charosh Independent Scholar Fellowship Grant

The Paul Charosh Independent Scholar Fellowship, offered by the Society for American Music, supports independent scholars researching American music's social history. It encourages participation in annual conferences, fostering collaboration and professional development. The fellowship, initially valued at $1,500, promotes diverse scholarly engagement regardless of formal music credentials. Awardees benefit from waived conference fees and recognition in the program, highlighting significant contributions to American musical culture. This initiative aims to broaden access to scholarly resources and inspire innovative programming.

holding collegial annual conferences that feature scholarly presentations, musical performances, and opportunities for social interaction and professional development of its members;disseminating high-quality research and thoughtful articles and reviews through the peer reviewed Journal and the online Bulletin;offering financial support for research at libraries, archives, and other venues in the United States and abroadpresenting annual awards that recognize outstanding scholarship, dedicated service to the Society, lifetime professional achievement, and significant contributions to the American musical culture;partnering with other local and national organizations to sponsor outreach initiatives designed to engage the general public with innovative programming;furnishing creative curriculum support for K–12 and university educators interested in integrating American music into their classrooms;advocating for the sustained support of humanities research, music librarianship, and musical composition, as well as greater access to the resources of American music; andserving as a resource for media outlets and the general public.
The initial award was in the amount of $1,500. Recipients are expected to attend and participate in the Society’s annual conference. Specific conditions of the participation will be made in consultation with the award committee and the Society’s Board. The awardee’s name and presence, and nature of their participation in the conference, will be noted in the program. Conference registration fees for the awardee will be waived.

Eligibility

The Paul Charosh Independent Scholar Fellowship is intended to foster research by independent scholars, and to encourage their participation in Society conferences. For purposes of this award, an “independent scholar” is someone who does not teach at an institution of higher learning, or who does so with a non-renewable contract of one year or less. Applicants are not required to hold any particular degree or certification. They may be current SAM members but others, pursuing a scholarly life outside the academy, are also eligible.