Mario's untimely death in 1959 prevented him from seeing the dream become a reality. In our dedication to keeping Mario's dream alive, the Mario Lanza Institute Scholarship Program was established. During our 36-year history, the Mario Lanza Institute has awarded 184 vocal scholarships to talented, aspiring young singers. The support and dedication of thousands over the years have been the life blood of the MLI Scholarship Program. The Board of Directors has chosen the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia to administer the auditions.
Applicants come from many parts of the U.S. and foreign countries.
Each spring, the Institute's Board of Directors, working together with the administrators of the Settlement Music School, review the criteria for selecting applicants for the coming year. Applications are prepared and forwarded to various schools throughout the country and are provided to anyone who has the ability and desire to compete. This may consist of either previous enrollment or current enrollment in a study program. Each year in October, the auditions are conducted over two days at the Settlement Music School. A panel of judges choose the finalists who then perform at the Mario Lanza Anniversary Ball where the winners are announced.