Area students interested in music and theatre at Lake Michigan College are invited to an orientation meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, in the Hanson Theatre of the LMC Mendel Center for Arts & Technology at the Napier Avenue Campus in Benton Harbor.

The meeting is for new and returning students and will provide information about careers and opportunities in the music and theatre industry, as well as areas of study in the performing arts programs at LMC.

Auditions for music and theatre scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year will be held in the music studio, room MC103, immediately following the orientation meeting.  Scholarships are awarded competitively to qualified students who meet academic requirements, are musically and/or theatrically talented, wish to major or minor in music and/or theatre, and are interested in participating in the LMC performance ensembles and music and drama presentations. Many music and theatre scholarships are awarded to students regardless of their major field of study. The awards range from $500 to full tuition and are renewable for four semesters.

LMC offers a music major program that provides the first two years of a four-year degree program leading to careers in music education, music therapy, music business, composition and arranging, and liturgical music.

LMC performance opportunities include the concert choir, Southshore concert band, jazz band, vocal chamber, string ensemble, and chamber winds, and participation in student recitals, master classes, clinics, pit orchestras, and choral and band festivals.

Designated as an All-Steinway School in October 2007 by representatives from Steinway and Sons Company of New York, LMC offers a quality education and experience for all its performing arts students, especially those enrolled in piano study. LMC was the first institution in Michigan to receive this honor, and is only the second community college in the country to be so designated.

Theater majors at LMC also receive their first two years of training for a four-year degree program leading to careers in theatre education, acting, directing, production, technical, costume, make-up, and theatre design. LMC performance opportunities include the fall production, spring musical, summer musical, drama club cabaret, fall and spring student-led productions, and master classes.

To schedule an audition appointment for Thursday, August 21, call the Performing Arts Office at (269) 927-8876. For other financial aid and scholarship opportunities, call the Financial Aid Office at (269) 927-8112.