01/22/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OREGON MUSIC HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2026 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Oregon Music Hall of Fame (OMHOF) is pleased to announce that applications are now open for its 2026 College Scholarship Program, which supports Oregon high school seniors pursuing higher education in music and music-related fields. The application deadline is February 25, 2026. The application is available at:
https://www.omhof.org/music-education-scholarships/
Each year, OMHOF awards scholarships to graduating Oregon high school seniors who have demonstrated a serious commitment to musical study and performance and who plan to continue their education at a college or university. Applicants must be Oregon residents and intend to major or minor in music, or pursue a career in the music industry, beginning in the fall of 2026. Through this program, OMHOF seeks to inspire the continued pursuit of higher musical education and help ease the financial burden of college expenses for promising young musicians.
In 2025, the Oregon Music Hall of Fame awarded seven scholarships of $2,500 each to outstanding student musicians from across the state. Recipients included Luke D’Silva of Westview High School in Portland, a violist who auditioned for the Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and The Juilliard School;
O’Brien of Glencoe High School in Hillsboro, a marimba and piano student who enrolled at the University of Oregon; Samuel Hardy of Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, a clarinet and saxophone student bound for either the University of Oregon or Willamette University; Bastion Sorenson, also of Crescent Valley High School, a French horn player and baritone vocalist attending Oregon State University; and Emmet Murch of Philomath High School, a pianist and violinist considering the University of Oregon or Oregon State University.
The 2025 Women in Music Scholarship was awarded to Alexa Cornejo of Willamette High School in Eugene, a double bass jazz musician and vocalist who plans to study at either the University of Oregon or Portland State University. The Music Teacher Scholarship was awarded to William Boldon of Grants Pass High School, a cellist and trombonist continuing his studies at either the University of Oregon or the University of Colorado Boulder. Each scholarship recipient was publicly recognized at an OMHOF award presentation and performed onstage, demonstrating mastery of their instrument and dedication to their craft.
For 2026, OMHOF will again offer multiple scholarship opportunities through a single application process, this year upping each award from $2500 to $3500. In addition to its general college scholarships, OMHOF offers the Women in Music Scholarship, established in memory of Gloria Johnson, which supports female students pursuing degrees in broadcasting, communications and public relations, music therapy, music technology, music business, music theory, and music production. A special opportunity is also available through the Billy Hagen Memorial Scholarship, supported by a grant from UMT Productions. This scholarship honors Billy Hagen’s formative years in the Beaverton-area music community and provides $3,500 per year for both 2026 and 2027 to graduating seniors from Aloha, Beaverton, or Sunset High School who demonstrate exceptional creativity, musicianship, and commitment to music or music-related careers.
Applications for the 2026 Oregon Music Hall of Fame College Scholarship Program are available online, and only one application will be accepted per student for all scholarship opportunities. The deadline to apply is February 25, 2026. Complete details and application materials can be found at www.omhof.org/music-education-scholarships.
Founded as a nonprofit organization in 2004, the Oregon Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving Oregon’s unique musical heritage while recognizing the achievements of exceptional musicians, promoting emerging artists, and enriching music education across the state. Through scholarships, educational initiatives, and community-based music events, OMHOF continues to support the musicians of today and inspire the musicians of tomorrow.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEW REQUESTS, ETC. PLEASE CONTACT ALEX STEININGER AT IN MUSIC WE TRUST PR: 503-557-9661 or [email protected]
OMHOF awards yearly scholarships to selected graduating Oregon high school seniors who have exhibited serious pursuit and accomplishment in their personal musicianship - and who are college-bound music majors.
