The John K. Nikel Scholarship (AIBF South)

Specific To:

Current Grade 12 students or individuals who graduated from high school in the past 8 months. Applicants MUST reside in the southern portion of the Province of Alberta. This includes the City of Red Deer and all points south.

AMOUNT, NUMBER AND TIMING OF THE SCHOLARSHIP:
The John K. Nikel Scholarship is valued at $2,500. One scholarship will be awarded annually.

OVERVIEW:
In 1971, Mr. John Nikel had a vision for a band festival that would provide an opportunity for young Albertans to perform and learn in a positive, educational environment. This vision resulted in the first Alberta International Band Festival (then the Alberta Stage Band Festival) with 8 jazz bands performing in the first year. Now, 53 years later, the Festival annually hosts more than 300 school and community concert and jazz bands in Edmonton and Calgary and is recognized for its commitment to education through world-class adjudicators and excellent performance venues. In keeping with the original vision of Mr. Nikel, the festival continues to be managed by volunteers, mostly band directors, in both Edmonton and Calgary as a not-for-profit venture.

Mr. Nikel passed away on January 11, 2008, leaving a huge legacy of support for the Arts in Alberta. Mr. Nikel continued to advocate tirelessly for music education, particularly band programs in schools until the end. The John K. Memorial Nikel Scholarship has been established as a legacy of this commitment. This scholarship will assist a young Albertan with aspirations of being a band director to pursue their post-secondary studies.

The application deadline is 5:00 PM on February 1 annually. Please see below for submission requirements.

Please encourage your students to apply if the criterion for the scholarship applies to them. If you have questions about this award, please contact the chair of the Alberta International Band Festival for Southern Alberta - Mike Jewitt at vpcalgary@aibfestival.ca.

AWARD DISBURSEMENT:
The successful applicant will be notified by telephone and in writing. A certificate of acknowledgement will be mailed to the recipient after the announcement. The recipient will be also provided with the necessary details in regards to the award disbursement.

The scholarship itself will be paid when proof of registration in an appropriate post-secondary institution for the fall of 2025 has been received by the Alberta International Band Festival. The scholarship monies will be paid directly to the post-secondary institution towards tuition and fees. In all matters concerning the eligibility and payment, the decision of the AIBF Scholarship Committee shall be final.