A variety of special, named scholarship and graduate assistantships are available to graduate students through the Friends of Music. Award recipients are selected during the spring term, and are recognized at the Annual School of Music Awards Convocation in April. Eligible students are selected by the Director of Choral Activities. The term of the assistantship is for two academic years. Eligible students are selected by the Graduate Advisors Group, based on recommendations from members of the graduate faculty.
Preference is given to minority students.
Students studying composition are given first consideration. In the event that there is no qualified recipient in a given year, the award need not be given. Recipients should, whenever possible, perform at least one of Didier Graeffe's compositions during the year for which the scholarship is given. The amount of the award varies each year, based on the amount of interest earned on the endowment principal, and is given in addition to any scholarship the student may already hold. Recipients are selected by the Music Education faculty in the spring term prior to the academic year in which the award will be made available.