Music scholarships provide a pathway for students with a strong interest in music. For some students, music is such a deep passion that they want to make it a profession.
About Music Scholarships
Undergraduate music scholarships, grants, and fellowships are available to undergraduate students based on their musical skills, whether they are vocalists or musicians. They, unlike student loans, do not require repayment. Also, you don’t have to be a music major to be eligible for a music scholarship or fellowship since many institutions and colleges give them to students that are interested and skilled in music and want to pursue their dream.
If you are applying for a music scholarship, fellowship, or grant, you will be asked to show your initial skills and how you have practiced these skills at a higher level as part of your application. Have you ever performed at school, in your community, in a competition, etc.? The university or organization usually also wants to know how you plan to use the knowledge you want to gain in order to give back to the music community.
Top Music Scholarships
SB&O Scholarship Essay Contest
This scholarship offers $1000 to five students out of high school. Applicants must answer one simple question: Why did you join the orchestra, and why did you stay involved? The answer to this question should be no more than 250 words. Entries must be submitted by April 30 each year, and the results are out in June.
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The President’s Own Concerto Competition
The President’s Marine Band, part of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, holds an annual concert competition for high school musicians. Winners are invited to perform as guest soloists with the Marine Corps Band. They will also receive scholarships ranging from $2500 for the first prize to $1000 and $500 for the second and third prizes. To participate in the competition, students must record their performance of a piece from the official repertoire list. They should be accompanied by a piano or a group/orchestra.
Applicants must submit the video, application, and recommendation letter by November 15. Finalists are notified by January 1 of the following year.
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
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The Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, presented by NPR’s “On Top” and the Media Lab Fellowship, provides up to $10,000 in scholarships to twenty musicians annually. Winners get money to pay for college and a chance to perform on From the Top. Judges evaluate applications on both demonstrated musical ability and financial need. That’s why applications must include a recording of two musical performances, contact information about their two music teachers, and the musician’s family’s two most recent tax forms. With this information, the judges will consider the applicant’s abilities and needs, as well as their educational activity and creative potential. All materials must be given by November 22 each year. Winners will be announced early the following year and invited to perform at the From the Top show that same year.
YoungArts National Arts Competition
Created to encourage artistic excellence at the national level, YoungArts is supported by the White House Commission on Presidential Fellowships. The Commission presents YoungArts awards to 20 students with great academic and artistic achievements each year. The sum ranges from $1000 to $10000 in scholarships, mentoring, and career connections. The competition is open to musicians specializing in classical instruments, from accordion and piano to double bass and harpsichord. Applicants must submit a video recording of four performances, including a selection of works provided by the commission. The deadline for submitting applications for participation in the YoungArts National Arts Competition is October 15 each year. The application period will be announced annually on the YoungArts website.
Berklee Presidential Scholarship
Berklee Conservatory is known worldwide as one of the best places to study music. But not everyone has the opportunity to go to Boston to study at Berklee, and not everyone can afford to pay the tuition. The Berklee Presidential Scholarship is designed to solve both of these problems. This scholarship is very useful for students who wish to enter Berklee College of Music because it covers all tuition costs. Only a small number of scholarships are given out each year. Instead of applying for the Berklee Presidential Scholarship, potential winners are automatically considered when they apply to Berklee. They are then evaluated by Berklee representatives, who take into account the student’s talent and financial needs.
Ocean Awareness Contest
Musicians who want to protect the environment should consider the Ocean Awareness Contest. The competition, run by the non-profit environmental group Blue Seat, invites submissions of compositions based on an innovative theme presented each year. The judges hope to see works that will make listeners not only laugh but also reflect on the problem. The awards range from $250 for honorable mentions to $1500 for the first prize. Entries must be submitted to Blue Seat by June 13 each year.
VSA International Young Soloists Award
For many young musicians, performing at the Kennedy Center is too big a dream to even think about. But this dream can become a reality for the winners of the VSA International Young Soloists Award. The program invites musicians with disabilities from high school to participate. Winners receive the opportunity to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a $2,000 scholarship. The competition is open to any high school musician with a disability, either solo or in a band or ensemble. Applicants must submit a recording of no more than ten minutes in length showcasing their best work. Applications are due on March 14 each year. The jury will select the winners and announce them later this year.
Music scholarships are a great help for one to reach academic and professional goals by lowering financial barriers to cover tuition costs. And we hope you find this article useful in these terms.
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