Myrna Brown International Scholarship

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NEW: The application process is now open for attendance at the 2026 convention in Portland, OR. This schedule change is intended to allow more time for the awardee to complete the visa application process.

El proceso de solicitud ya está abierto para asistir a la convención de 2026 en Portland, Oregón. Este cambio se está realizando con el objetivo de permitir más tiempo para completar el proceso de solicitud de visa en caso de ser necesario.

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The Myrna Brown International Scholarship was established to honor Myrna Brown, the NFA’s first executive director, for her dedication to the National Flute Association. As an administrator, Brown encouraged collegiality and was a passionate advocate for cultural exchanges through music. During her tenure, Brown organized the first exchanges with flutists from China and Russia, setting the stage for the NFA’s warm relations with international flutists.

In memory of Myrna Brown, this biennial scholarship provides financial assistance to a flutist from a country outside of the United States to attend and present at the National Flute Association Convention, one of the largest annual flute events in the world. Recipients gain the opportunity to share their unique musical perspectives and experiences with a diverse group of flutists, promoting an enriching, cross-cultural dialogue.

The recipient of the Myrna Brown Scholarship will receive $3,000 to cover the cost of attending the 2026 NFA Convention in Portland, Oregon. Funds may cover international travel and the cost of staying at the convention hotel for up to four nights during the convention. In addition to the scholarship, the recipient will be awarded a complimentary pass to attend the annual convention in Portland, Oregon from August 6-9, 2026, and a one-year membership in the NFA.

"I am absolutely over the moon and filled with joy to have been recognized as a trailblazer for flute music in my community and to be the very first Zambian recipient of the prestigious NFA MBIS award for 2024. This is truly a dream come true, and I am beyond grateful for this incredible honor.

"It serves as a reminder that our world is interconnected in ways we may not always realize and that our dreams can indeed become a reality. I am thrilled at the opportunity to share the hidden treasure of Zambian flute music with the world and to showcase the rich cultural heritage of my country through music.

"I am profoundly thankful to the National Flute Association for this amazing opportunity and for believing in my talent and passion for music. This award is not just a personal achievement, but a celebration of the beauty and diversity of music that unites us all. I am excited for the journey ahead and look forward to inspiring and connecting with others through the universal language of music. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

-Nchimunya Siachaba, Zambia
2024 Recipient of the Myrna Brown International Scholarship

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for the Myrna Brown International Scholarship, the applicant must:

Be a citizen of, and actually reside in, a developing country that is not under trade sanctions or restrictions with the United States. Citizens of most European countries are not eligible for this scholarship and are advised not to submit an eligibility application. If you are not sure if your country is a developing country, please refer to International Monetary Fund (IMF) guidelines.
- Applicants living, working or studying in the U.S. at the time of application, or at the time of the 2026 convention, are not eligible, and their applications will not be considered.
- Please refer to the World Bank website to determine eligibility based on whether the country where you live is a developing country. Only those applicants living in a country described as low-income or lower-middle income on this website are eligible to apply. Applicants who are not living in a low-income or lower-middle income country are not eligible to apply and will not be considered.
- For information about whether your country of residence is under trade sanctions or restrictions with the U.S., refer to this website. Please note that this list is constantly changing.
OR be an individual from a developing country as defined above who, within the last two years, has been forced to leave their home country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster and is currently living outside the United States.
Be available to travel to the U.S. and attend the 2026 NFA Convention August 6-9, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
Not be a previous winner of the Myrna Brown International Scholarship or related to any member of the Myrna Brown International Scholarship Committee.
Demonstrate personal economic need, defined as not being able to attend the NFA Convention without financial assistance.

"I am very grateful for being chosen as the 2022 NFA MBIS recipient. I am completely ecstatic with the news! With this grant, I will keep on disseminating Mexican flute music through such an important convention.

It will be a great pleasure to play the musical program, considering also that there are three world premieres, at the NFA Convention, sharing the stage with the Latin American flutists who were selected by me.

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to use this scholarship for my professional advancement and my work as a Mexican flutist to contribute to the culture of my country."

-Evangelina Reyes López, Mexico
2022 Recipient of the Myrna Brown International Scholarship

Application Requirements

To apply for the Myrna Brown International Scholarship, the applicant must submit the following materials by the deadline using the form below:

A biography or résumé in English not exceeding two pages, including the applicant's full legal name, date and place of birth, current residence address and residence addresses during the past five years, contact information including email address, citizenship, education, and (if applicable) professional or occupational information.
A written statement in English not exceeding 300 words describing: (a) why attending the NFA convention will benefit the applicant's musical development, and (b) how the applicant will utilize the experience of attending the NFA convention to further the development of flute music in the applicant's home country.
A written proposal in English not exceeding 750 words outlining the 30- to 45-minute presentation that the applicant proposes to make at the NFA convention. The presentation must consist of or strongly relate to flute music. Examples of possible presentations include: a program of flute music from the applicant's country; a presentation on a specific composer or several composers performing examples of their works; a presentation on innovative teaching ideas or methods; or a presentation on a significant historical perspective of music from the applicant's country.
A video and audio recording of the applicant performing one or more selections of flute music for a minimum of 15 minutes, recorded not more than 90 days before submission of the recording. Note: The recording technology used does not need to be of professional quality; a typical hand-held digital recording is acceptable. Applicants are not expected or encouraged to spend any significant sum in creating the audio-video recording. If the proposed presentation includes performances of flute music, each part of the repertoire to be performed must be included. If the proposed presentation does not include a performance of flute music, the recording must include a flute performance by the applicant of two or more pieces from the standard solo repertoire.

Submission Information

There are two components that must be submitted in order to be considered for the Myrna Brown International Scholarship:

Eligibility Questionnaire
- All applicants are required to submit an eligibility questionnaire by December 3rd, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. central U.S. time. Applicants who have not submitted this form and been informed that they are eligible to apply will not be considered. The deadline to submit an eligibility questionnaire is Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024 at 11:59pm Central US Time.

Application Form (by invitation, following a review of your Eligibility Questionnaire)
- If you have submitted an eligibility questionnaire and received confirmation that you're eligible to apply, you may submit an application form. Please note that if you did not submit an eligibility questionnaire or did not meet the eligibility requirements, your application will not be considered.
- Before uploading your application materials, rename all electronic files so they begin with your name (example: Jane Doe Filename). The deadline to submit an application is January 16th, 2025.

The Myrna Brown International Scholarship is on a two-year scholarship cycle and will be awarded for attendance at NFA conventions in even years. For the 2026 NFA Convention, applicants must submit both the eligibility questionnaire and the application form by the stated deadlines in order to be considered. Applications not received in complete form by the deadline will be disqualified.

Evaluation Criteria

Assuming that the applicant meets the threshold criteria specified in "Eligibility Requirements" above, applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The potential for future positive impact on the development of flute music in the applicant's home country as a result of the applicant's participation in the NFA convention (50% of total evaluation); and
The applicant's ability to present in lecture or performance format at the NFA convention or to serve as a competition judge, as applicable (50% of total evaluation).

Requirements for Myrna Brown Scholarship Recipient

By submitting an application for the Myrna Brown International Scholarship, the applicant agrees that if selected:

The Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist will attend at least three full days of the NFA Convention in the year of the scholarship.
The Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist will make a 30- to 45-minute presentation to the NFA Convention which must include the elements described in the proposal submitted pursuant to Paragraph 3 of the Application Requirements.
Within two weeks after the close of the NFA Convention, the Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist will participate in a post-convention interview by a writer for The Flutist Quarterly. The subject matter of the interview will be the Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist's experiences at the NFA Convention, how such experiences have influenced and will influence their musical life, and how the Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist will share information with their country's flute community regarding the activities and services of the NFA.
The Myrna Brown Scholarship Flutist consents to the use of their name, photograph, and personal information stated in the application materials (except financial information) and/or disclosed in the interview, in publications of the NFA, including but not limited to the NFA Convention program, The Flutist Quarterly, and the NFA website.

Funding of Scholarship

The Myrna Brown International Scholarship is funded solely by the NFA Endowment Myrna Brown Fund.

Please direct any questions to Ana Paola Rincones at paolarincones@gmail.com