Fellowships and Grants

The Center’s Small Grants Program supports research by Cornell students and faculty relating to keyboard instruments. Projects may combine research interests in history, performance, composition, improvisation, and technology, from the medieval organ to the latest digital keyed instruments. In particular, we encourage research that is cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and/or addresses marginalized or underrepresented communities. 

Funding of up to $500 is available for travel to invite speakers, performers, or composers to Cornell, to commission new works for instruments housed by the Center, or other research expenses. We will also consider applications for larger grants to support small- or large-scale symposia or workshops. Recent projects have included a recorded catalogue of our instruments; a composition and recording project for organ and synthesizers; Ithaca Sounding 2020, a festival dedicated to composer and Ithaca native Julius Eastman; a symposium devoted to Clara Schumann using historical instruments; a conference on the history of the player piano; a symposium on four-hand keyboard culture; a festival exploring environmental sounds in Olivier Messiaen’s keyboard works; and a festival on the organ in the global Baroque. 

To apply:

For full details, including information on how to apply, please contact the CCHK at cchk@cornell.edu. The following materials should be included in the application as a single PDF.

1. CV.
2. Proposal, outlining: a) Overview of project and output, faculty advisor (for graduate students, if applicable), timeline, and how funding would be used (500 words); and b) a provisional budget.
3. For graduate student applicants: A letter of support from your advisor.

See the profiles below for a sample of how funds have been employed.

The Center’s Visiting Fellows program fosters collaboration and exchange between Cornell and other institutions. Visiting Fellows are typically enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program, although the Center is open to considering applications from more senior performers and/or scholars. In a typical year, the Center may host two Fellows. The Center particularly encourages applications from underrepresented minorities, and from performers and performer-scholars trained on modern instruments who would like to explore period instruments and performance. Some financial support, including room and board, is available to successful applicants from underserved economic backgrounds.

Depending on the nature of the proposed project, Visiting Fellows may be in residence between two to eight weeks. Residencies can occur during Cornell’s teaching periods or during Cornell’s summer session. In exceptional cases, longer and shorter residencies will be considered.

For full details, including information on how to apply, please contact the CCHK at cchk@cornell.edu.