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Anybody know anything about music scholarships?


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DH is really pushing our kids to do well with their string instruments so that they can possibly get a college scholarship. The thing is, my kids are not motivated themselves. DD loves writing and art, and is very passionate about both. She works hard on the cello because she's a good kid, but claims to not really care for it. DS is a very reluctant player. We have had to force him. He plays viola. They've each been playing about 3.5 years, and DH insists they are talented.

 

Music is very important to DH and his family. DH plays double bass and wishes that he had pursued it professionally. In-laws are/were public school orchestra directors. Everything in their life revolves around music. (I played flute in high school, but it was mainly a social thing. I never played again after high school.)

 

Anyway, I'm just wondering how feasible a music scholarship is, and how much it could be (percentages). I had a full tuition academic scholarship to my college of choice (private school, so it was substantial). The only people I know that got music scholarships got small ones.

 

We are not looking at music colleges, just colleges with music programs. I doubt that either child will major in music.

 

Thoughts? Experience?

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I have a friend who is a gifted musician, and several of her kids have gone to college on scholarship and at least one of them has "made it" professionally.

 

Basically you need to be orienting them towards every competition and every possible opportunity to play, even in small community and church ensembles. They look not only at your audition, but your resume. It takes several years of this to get good scholarships, but she'd done it and is "in process" with her most recent upcoming graduate, waiting now to hear back.

 

Frankly unless your kids play something obscure, it takes a huge amount of motivation and time, but it can be done!

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I had a lot of music scholarships. The auditions can be brutal.

 

You should have your kids playing in any competition you can find. They need exposure to a lot judging, other players, etc. It takes a huge amount of exposure to learn to overcome the nerves. Recitals are not enough. Recitals are a showcasing of skills for the benefit of already supportive grandparents and parents. This does nothing for helping with the kinds of performance anxiety that you have when auditioning for money and especially when you can't go to the school of your choice without that money even if you are accepted.

 

Scholarships tend to be generous, although I have heard that awards a being scaled back because donations to music schools are significantly lower in this economy. But, most kids admitted to music schools are not their on scholarship. Several hundred may be vying for just one scholarship.

 

I would ask if you can take your kids to observe some auditions. Sometimes the schools allow the general public to see the competition amongst the finalists. Its fantastic! It will also expose them to the level of competition that they will be facing.

 

I don't mean to sound negative....but the stress is incredible. In my experience, only the really internally driven kids, survive the process and win any money. I've seen lesser naturally talented pianists win competitions because of that drive to succeed while kids who could have won it easily, weren't serious enough or well-prepared and ended up blowing it.

 

Preparation, preparation, preparation.

 

Faith

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Hi :)

 

I have a daughter entering college this fall as a Collaborative Piano/Pedagogy Major. She did not want a music conservatory, but a regular college with a music program.

 

I agree with all that has been said above regarding competitions, etc. My daughter also plays for church, accompanied the choir for productions and also was pianist for the junior opera camp for the local Opera.

 

My daughter was offered very nice scholarships at her two top choice schools. Her music scholarship, coupled with academic grants/scholarships has earned her very, very nice financial aid.

 

I will tell you that the more lucrative scholarships are reserved for music majors, in our experience, and are always based on an agreement to serve the school via playing.

 

I encourage you to ask the schools. Honestly, we have also been told it depends on what the *need* is for the instrument also. One school my dd auditioned for told her they have money *waiting* for a certain instrument because they are in desperate need for one for their purposes. If they had several, the money might not be as much.

 

That is just our experience, I hope it helps. :)

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My DD~12 attended ( read observed) a masters workshop at our local junior college for a piano performance class. I stepped in for the last performer to observe. The comments made by the master pianist were inspiring and at the same time very technical. My DD applied what heard to her performance the next day in the same auditorium. I could hear and see the difference in her playing. What an opportunity to be in one of these classes. While not a competition, I would imagine being critiqued by a master musician would means something to those evaluating applications, so putting this type of experience on your application would be a plus for a young performer. Concurrent enrollment at 16 my afford this type of opportunity.

 

I do know of one young man who was applying to UCSB as a physics major with a minor in piano. He auditioned for a scholarship and was offered a full scholarship if he dropped the physics and went for a music major.

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I think my concern is the pressure DH is putting on the kids, for something they don't show a love for at this point. I'm hoping that he'll back off if they don't have the desire that he wants them to have within the next few years.

 

I believe DH is aware of what is needed to get a scholarship (competitions, etc.). I also don't believe he is expecting them to get a full scholarship, just something to offset the cost of college. I know he wants them to have music as an option, no matter what they choose to do with their lives. He's a computer programmer himself, but spends a lot of his free time playing.

 

As they get older, if they haven't completely rebelled against playing :tongue_smilie:, we'll contact the schools the kids are interested in and see what is available and reasonable to expect.

 

Thank you! I both feel better and am more nervous. :)

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I went to a University as a Music Major and had a scholarship, and then to a Conservatory for my Masters with a scholarship. I got more money at the University and less at the Conservatory. ime, the instrument also matters. Violinists are a dime a dozen, what they need are viola players! Easier to get money on that instrument. Cello is highly competitive. I say the #1 thing here is you need amazing teachers, plus experience. It's all about your entry jury. They will have to play in the orchestra, most money is tied to that. At my University, anyone in the marching band got the most money. I went to ASU, and most people got 1/2 scholarship, maybe a full for the 1st year. At conservatory, they were not looking for people from the US, we all only got partial scholarships.

 

What major? Music performance? Music Therapy? Music Education (public school teaching)? There are schools that have nice pedagogy depts and you can get certified Suzuki teacher.

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