What instruments are "in demand" at the college level?

[Christy B]

Dd is in her third year of flute and doing well. With several friends getting scholarships as music majors, she has been encouraged to keep that option open.

 

I'm thinking, though, it might be time to branch out to another instrument. If local high school bands are any indication, a *lot* of kids play flute. I would think that a less popular instrument may improve her chances of being accepted to a college as a music major.

 

She is also wanting an instrument that won't limit her to classical, but that would allow her to participate in jazz band, etc. She is thinking sax, but I'm sure there are so many more options.

 

Suggestions?

[1bassoon]

Can you guess what I'm going to recommed? ;)

 

Seriously -

 

When I was a junior in high school, I was a pretty hot flute player, seated first chair since my sophomore year. My band director happened to be the father of the second bassoonist for the Boston Symphony. He correctly pointed out that I would be much more attractive to universities if I played something different. . . like. . . .the bassoon!

 

I started bassoon lessons by October of my junior year. By February senior year, I auditioned for three schools: I was waitlisted at Eastman school of music (had I played flute, would have been a guaranteed rejection); got the same at Yale (even though I applied 3 weeks AFTER their application deadline; the band director "pulled strings" b/c he needed a bassoonist); and received a full tuition & fees scholarship to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

 

In other words, bassoon = free college for me!

 

Even now, as an adult, I am able to play gigs once in a while, and I'm only an amateur. My dh, as a semi-pro flute player? He can barely get a call. It's a little sore spot in our marriage :D

 

I would recommend she think about oboe or bassoon. Have her listen to recordings, etc to decide.

 

If she's serious about the jazz thing, she may want to think brass. Sax players are a dime a dozen. Does she play piano? Many jazz ensembles need pianists in their rhythm section, and if she can double flute for solos, that may be a bonus.

 

Of course, I played jazz bassoon a few times - seriously!

 

The only other instrument that comes to mind, that is rare-ish and would work for classical & jazz is trombone. My dh (former band director) had a few girls switch from flute to trombone - it was a pretty easy switch.

 

HTH! Pm me if you'd like.

[Jann in TX]

My middle dd is a clarinet player--she is homeschooled but allowed to practice with the local high school band and even audition for All State Band--she cannot participate in marching band (she can be in the Pep band if she wanted) or concert band contests. She is currently second chair--but is really the BEST one--but we do not want to stir the waters too much so a PS student sits first. DD will probably not be a music major--but is considering a minor or double major in Music so she can get more scholarships.

 

DD has a good friend who plays the flute. In 9th grade she branched out to Saxophone (tenor) and for the past 2 years she has made All State Jazz band and has placed for the concert bands too (but you are only allowed one All state award each year and Jazz is her favorite). She has already been approached by colleges for scholarships!

 

Sax has fingerings similar to flute--so it is one of the easier instruments to switch over too--make sure she has a GOOD teacher when she starts as that will make a WORLD of difference as it usually takes a year or so before you make a 'good sound' with a Sax.

 

DD's friend chose Tenor Sax because most students choose Alto--and you have more competition with Altos for scholarships... Tenor Sax works great in concert, marching and jazz bands.

 

If she wants to stay with flute that is fine too--just make sure she is taking lessons from the best person possible so she will continue to be challenged. The majority of high school flute players just do it for fun--and really do not concentrate on technique.

[cougarmom4]

I play the flute...and yes, there are tons of flutists out there! If she is wanting the orchestra-type experience, it is very difficult to get one of the spots. When I transferred to a new university, I couldn't even play in any of the groups because I wasn't a music major...there were way too many music majors that needed the experience for their degree requirements.

 

What kind of experience is she looking for? If it's band or jazz band, I'd say a saxophone might be a good bet...I think it's the tenor sax that has the same fingering as flute. (?) I think finding a good oboe or bassoon player is hard...so either one of those would probably be in demand.

 

My kids take violin...their teacher has said if they play viola and get good at it, they can pretty much guarantee a music scholarship as they are in great demand.

[amy g.]

My piano, sax, clarinet-playing son added oboe this year for this reason exactly.

 

I've also heard that tuba players are in demand.

[kalanamak]

A FOAF (friend of a friend)'s son got some scholarship money to play....some instrument I'd never heard of in the college marching band. He had fun, got some money, liked the games. I know this isn't what you are thinking, but someone else opening the thread might be inspired. Such a person could ask at the local high or college what marching instruments are in short supply. This kid was musical and picked up this instrument in hs just to be able to get a scholarship.

[ereks mom]

...pretty much any brass or woodwind is "in demand". ER's girlfriend's college is starting a marching band, and is trying to recruit people who play marching band instruments. ER's girlfriend is an oboe major and got a full scholarship for that instrument, although she isn't in the marching band; however, she plays several instruments in addition to oboe, including saxophone, double bass, etc. ER's former roommate got a full scholarship for trumpet. Another friend got a scholarship for trumpet as well.

Edited January 23, 2010 by ereks mom

[My3Boys]

My middle ds was a music major for 2 years, was in marching and concert band at a well-known "football" university. I second whoever said tuba. They had far fewer tuba players audition for both bands. In my son's school they had a certain number of scholarships, both partial and full, for each instrument, so less tuba players = better chance at scholarship.

 

The only downside is you don't see many girls marching sousaphone, because it's so heavy and cumbersome.

[OhM]

Can you guess what I'm going to recommed? ;)

 

In other words, bassoon = free college for me!

 

 

 

I've heard this recently, too (from dds' band director) - especially if you own an instrument (which in itself could cost as much as a college education!)

 

I've heard that oboe is also in demand.

[Mabelen]

I am afraid I have no suggestions to add to this thread. I would like to thank the OP for posting this and all the other members for their replies as I am finding it highly informative.

 

I have an 8th grader. She plays the piano and did two years of recorder back in 2nd and 3rd grade. Which of the instruments suggested here would be easier to learn for someone with her background?

[Christy B]

So glad someone mentioned a minor in music as scholarship potential; dd is very interested in that possibility, as science and math are her first loves.

 

Sounds like we need to look into what instruments we can afford, and what good teachers are available in our area, to help us make a decision.

 

I'm printing out all of your comments to keep in our college planning notebook, thanks so much! Hope more people have ideas to share.

[Kareni]

Carnegie Mellon has a scholarship for bagpipe players!

 

Here's an older article.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[G5052]

I can't remember if she double-majored or minored but she also studied math and ended up in biostatistics and still plays professionally for a city orchestra.

[FO4UR]

It depends on where she wants to go to school also. My small college gave good scholarships for some fairly common instruments. It was a *fantastic* opportunity for someone thinking along the lines of Music Ed....not so much if your dc is thinking music performance. jmho

 

Sax players are a dime a dozen.:iagree: It's easy to pick up. I'm a sax player and a loud soprano..."a dime a dozen" on both accounts...sigh!:lol:

 

What does she want to do with a music degree? Start there, and work backwards.:001_smile:

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

My super smart cousin just got a scholarship to Stanford and plays sax. in their band.

[laurad1125]

If she's interested in strings at all, viola is a good choice. Good violists are always in demand.

[HollyinNNV]

I think that these instruments are in demand at typical schools: bassoon, oboe, viola, double bass. If you are going to USC, Indiana U, Oberlin (etc) all bets are off. If you are a really exceptional player, it doesn't matter what you play.

 

I think the following instruments are highly competitive: piano (!!!), violin, flute, clarinet and trumpet. If you go somewhere that has an exceptional teacher, they will attract exceptional students and then you can have a great deal of a certain instrument, thereby making it competitive.

 

Some instruments are competitive when you would think they wouldn't be. For example, there is only 1 harp (generally) in an orchestra. A harpist can cover more than one orchestra. Plus, unless you are in a major metro are, there aren't THAT many harp students. So, harp positions can be very hard to get. Therefore, harp is actually quite competitive. (Compare that with piano. Lots of students and lots of jobs. Every church needs a Sunday pianist. Most universities employ multiple piano instructors but only one harp instructor. The problem with piano is that soooo many kids take piano and there are so many amazing players.)

[Suzanne in ABQ]

If she wants to stay in woodwinds, I'd suggest a bassoon, or oboe. I actually LOVE the oboe! It excites me like no other instrument in the orchestra.

 

If she wants to try strings, I'd suggest viola. Violinists are a dime a dozen, but there is always a market for violists.

[1bassoon]

If she wants to stay in woodwinds, I'd suggest a bassoon, or oboe. I actually LOVE the oboe! It excites me like no other instrument in the orchestra.

 

You know, there's an interesting theory called the "timbre preference" theory (or something like that. . . . ) Some elementary schools actually have kids listen to music, give a response that is then scored, and teachers make a recommendation based on the "timbre", or tone quality, of the instrument they selected on the test. The logic is that if a child intrinsically resonates with the sound of an instrument, they are more likely to be successful.

 

For me, once I switched to bassoon, I enjoyed playing much, much more! I also enjoyed viola and cello in college, which may tell you something about my preferences. . . .

 

Anyways, just food for thought!

[Jami]

I played the trumpet through most of high school, which was fun for jazz. But I learned the French Horn my jr. year and that opened many more doors in community and college orchestras. It's a big switch from a flute, but for others reading the thread thinking about instruments...I loved playing the horn. It's a challenging instrument, but so rich.

[OrganicAnn]

I know someone who plays the French Horn and she had many opportunities. She is very good. I don't know if she received scholarships or not. She went to IU. She has made a living playing for the last 15 or so years. Currently she plays in the Coast Guard band? orchestra?

[Annie]

The only downside is you don't see many girls marching sousaphone, because it's so heavy and cumbersome.

 

Oh! Me, me! I started playing flute in 3rd grade, but I added on tuba in 8th grade. I marched with a sousaphone for four years, and I'm only 5'2". It certainly wasn't easy, but it was a lot of fun. I think tuba is good for a flute player because they both need such a large volume of air to play. If she has the lungs to play flute, she should be able to pick up tuba. ;)

 

I also agree with those who said oboe. I picked it up for fun one year, but it just wasn't my thing. It can be a beautiful instrument once you get good at it.

[littlebug42]

I switched from flute to oboe in 10th grade and LOVED it. It opened up several more opportunities to me. I wish I could still play but my instrument belonged to my high school so I had to turn it in when I graduated. When our financial situation improves, my own oboe is on my list so I can pick it back up.

[K in MI]

I second bassoon. I started on flute, switched to bassoon a few years later, and loved it! Though I didn't get a scholarship to college, I played with the city orchestra in high school and college, and that helped with the finances, and gave a nice outlet for school stress.

[I talk to the trees]

Bassoon if her hands are large enough, oboe if they aren't. The atmosphere at the college level for flutists is highly competitive, and can be very stressful. And it doesn't get all that much better when you graduate.....*sigh*

 

Looking ahead, if she sees music as a possible career choice, it might be wise to take lessons in clarinet and sax. Being proficient in multiple woodwinds gets you gigs (mostly music theater) where the parts call for doubling or tripling.

 

If she wants to leave the world of wind instruments altogether, I suggest viola. It seems that *everyone* is looking for a good violist.

 

-Robin