Music scholarship possibility?

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My son plays the trumpet, which we currently "rent to own" and he wants to move in the trombone. Which is fine. . .that's why we didn't buy it. . .we rented it. . .so we'll turn it back in and rent the trombone.

He's very good. He gets selected for concert bands and even small brass bands (he's 5th grade).

Anyway, I was talking to a friend yesterday and she said her son is playing the mellatone (sp?) because his chance of scholarship goes way up the more tiered out the instrument choice is. So she encouraged me to have him go into trombone, because "Trumpets are a dime a' dozen."

First of all, for any Music majors out there or teachers, (not that he'd probably major in music but who knows), how common are music scholarships?

Second, is this true? Do like the big state universities like Penn State give music scholarships for band instruments to assemble a kick-butt band for their football team?

He's a baseball all-star too but I wonder if we aren't barking up a wrong tree.

[Diolla]

Music Scholarships are very common. They are usually audition based (you perform). Instruments that have fewer people playing them have less competition but if you are really good you can win even with a more common instrument. In brass the trombone, french horn and tuba have fewer people playing them.

[Broken Arrow]

Hmm, interesting question.

I've had a scholarship due, in part, because I played a music instrument. I got to the point of playing 1st chair for All-State regularly and was eligible for All-Eastern orchestra....

My schoolmate (who was 2nd chair to me at All-State) went on to play All-Eastern, got full scholarship at a private college, and eventually played for the Austrian Philharmonic.

I also have a sister that got a scholarship on a musical instrument. She plays semi-professionally as a classical and blues/jazz player, and I believe may be working on an album now....

My recollection is vague at this point, but along with the typical application process, you have to play for the college representative. Sometimes, it's a designated music professor. In serious institutions, you have to play in front of a panel of judges. Competition in places like that are very tough, but then, what have you to lose (besides a road trip to the place)?

I don't know how common it is, but it's out there, and again, there's not much to lose by giving it a shot.

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As any parent here knows, as much as you would like a child to be self-motivated, try everything, and "find themselves", you have to kind of direct their talents to best use and kick their behinds once in awhile.

He's good at baseball - as good as you can be for 10 years old. He led the team in hits by a wide margin. That being said, I would't call him a "natural athlete", like our youngest son.

I would think baseball scholarships would be rare and you would have to almost be a prodigy to get one so if baseball implodes in the next year or two. . .maybe we'll go all out on trombone.

[CubsFan23]

As a high school music teacher, I can tell you that, in general, the more exotic the instrument, the higher likelihood of earning a scholarship. Although I teach choir, I've heard of many colleges offering scholarships to men who could audition into a good choir as a bass. Likewise, I have a student who plays the contrabassoon who made All-State (partly because she's incredibly good, but also partly because there weren't very many other people playing that instrument in the entire state!). Obviously you'll encourage your child to follow your dreams, but to make a sports analogy, playing a more "exotic" instrument is like left-handed, middle relief pitchers in baseball: they benefit greatly from their short supply.

[texastek76]

My wife was a very good flutist and music major in college. She received a $500 per year scholarship. In comparison I received about $5000 per year for engineering.

There is just not that much money in most music programs to have decent scholarships. If you have an amazing talent there may be some money to be had but I would contend that that kind of talent is just as rare as someone gifted enough to receive an athletic scholarship.

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No. . . the idea isn't necessarily to major in music (although maybe minor) but just gather a scholarship for whatever major.

I don't think that it would be mandated that he major in music, if he's a kickbutt mellatonist. Maybe it would.

Thanks for all the info.