33rd Annual Holiday Scholarship Concert
Mark Your Calendars!
The 33rd Annual Holiday Scholarship Concert will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025 at 7:30 pm in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Join the Hayes School of Music for this classic celebration that kicks off the holiday season in the High Country! Tickets will be available for purchase through the Schaefer Center. This page will be updated when ticket sales have opened.
Donate to the Scholarship Fund
We gratefully continue to accept donations to the scholarship fund. Donations and ticket sales from the Holiday Scholarship Concert support Hayes School of Music students - and the more we raise, the more we can offer in scholarships.
Through the generosity of our audience and sponsors, over $300,000 has been raised over the years, all of which goes directly to our students! If you are interested in donating, please visit givenow.appstate.edu/HolidayConcert or contact Melinda Friddell (828-262-8692, friddellmf@appstate.edu).
About the Concert
For 32 years, the Holiday Scholarship Concert has been an annual tradition to usher in the holiday season in the High Country! Dr. Tyler Young (Assistant Teaching Professor of Voice and Opera) returns as the Artistic Director of the concert.
Almost every student in the Hayes School of Music is engaged in the concert through festive performances by many of our ensembles. Previous Holiday Scholarship Concerts have included ensembles such as...
| Steely Pan Steel Band | Appalachian Symphony Band |
| University Singers | Harp Ensemble |
| Jazz Ensemble I | Bassoon Ensemble |
| Treble Choir | Opera Workshop |
| Brass Choir | Flute Choir |
Read an interview with past Artistic Director Dr. Hopkins about his experiences with the concert over the years: Dr. Stephen Hopkins passes the baton after 30th Holiday Scholarship Concert
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Donors make the Hayes School of Music experience possible for more students, helping young musicians turn a passion for music into a profession for life. Closer to the concert date, this space will share a recognition of several sponsors for the 2025 Holiday Scholarship Concert. From the whole Hayes School of Music, thank you for making this possible!