Graduation Honors and Awards
ACADEMIC HONORS
Faculty Council awards Academic Honors to degree candidates who achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.70 (undergraduates) or 3.85 (graduates).
GEORGE WHITEFIELD CHADWICK MEDAL
Faculty Council awards the George Whitefield Chadwick Medal to a graduating bachelor’s degree student whose record of achievement has been distinguished by superior accomplishment in the major field, supplementary studies, extracurricular activities, and citizenship.
GUNTHER SCHULLER MEDAL
Faculty Council awards the Gunther Schuller Medal to a graduate degree or diploma candidate who has made extraordinary contributions to the life of the Conservatory.
DONALD MARTINO AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMPOSITION
The Donald Martino Award for Excellence in Composition was established in his name by friends and family. The award, to be given to outstanding composition students at NEC, commemorates Martino’s important achievements as a composer and his impact on students and colleagues at NEC.
ENTREPRENEURIAL MUSICIANSHIP SPARK AWARD
The Entrepreneurial Musicianship Spark Award is given in consultation with the Alumni Relations Office. The award recognizes and supports outgoing students who have a strong entrepreneurial mindset. The recipients can apply their award and advising sessions to advance a project, build an online portfolio, or seek out additional training.
PI KAPPA LAMBDA
NEC’s chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, the national music honor society, inducts a small number of graduating students each year; nominations by NEC are made on the basis of extraordinary musical, academic, and personal achievement.
TOURJÉE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Tourjée Alumni Scholarship Award is given each year to an alumnus/a or graduating student to pursue graduate work at NEC. The recipient must demonstrate outstanding musicianship, scholarship, and enterprise, as well as potential for success in graduate study and the field of music.
PETER LYMAN ROW GLOBAL MUSICIANSHIP AWARD
The Peter Lyman Row Global Musicianship Award is a cash prize established by the Row family in honor of sitarist Peter Lyman Row who served as faculty member, dean and provost of the Conservatory between 1974 and 2018. The award is approved by Faculty Council and is presented at commencement to a degree or diploma student, undergraduate or graduate, who demonstrates excellence in their primary area of study—performance, composition or scholarship—as well as a deep commitment to and in-depth study of a world music tradition, embodying Peter Row’s breadth of interests.
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE LIBERAL ARTS
The Award for Excellence in the Liberal Arts is given to the senior who completes outstanding work across multiple disciplines in the Liberal Arts and who serves the NEC community through extracurricular activities that extend beyond their musical studies.