<p>I had originally planned to go to conservatory for music. But I have changed my mind over the last less than a year. I still want to play music in college. And I really hoped for a scholarship. My history is that I used to go to Interlochen during the summers. I have been studying in the last two years with a well known and established symphony player (well known amongst those in the field, anyway). I think I am a good. I play the viola, so a less common instrument that sometimes, orchestras are lacking.</p>
<p>Most college and university music department have scholarship information on their websites. I think it’s likely that a violist could get a music scholarship for playing in the orchestra at many state schools and LACs.</p>
<p>At many schools, the “scholarship” consists of free lessons rather than actual cash deductions from your tuition statement. Those lessons could add up to a lot of money if you had to pay for them for four years. Often, the requirement is that you play in an ensemble of some sort.</p>
<p>Years ago it was conventional wisdom that if you played an instrument that is in demand (viola, bassoon, oboe kept coming up) for a non-conservatory school, you’d have a chance at scholarship money. I didn’t really find this to be true when looking at schools for my kids; I think what stradmom says is true: if you play well, the most you may be able to get free or highly-subsidized lessons (which is nothing to sneeze at, but probably not what you are after.) Your instrument may also help from an admissions standpoint. But sadly (from what I can see) colleges don’t throw money at musicians they way they do at athletes. That said, I hope other can find examples that will prove me wrong.</p>
<p>Not to be a contrarian, but colleges do not give out athletic scholarships the way that they used to. Like music, the days of full non-need based scholarships are mostly over, except for a few.</p>
<p>woodwinds, I think there is still more support for athletics in terms of recruitment of students of extracurricular activities. After posting this, I did remember that my niece, who was in this process last year, did receive large (about half-tuition?) merit scholarships at a few colleges on the west coast, specifically for viola (although she ended up going elsewhere.)</p>
<p>We, too, had heard rumors of “viola scholarships” out there but were unable to find any for my nonmusic major daughter (other than the free lessons).</p>
<p>In my niece’s case, these were west coast schools you might not have looked into-- as you know, she ended up at Bard! Where she is reportedly feeling very much at home. :D</p>
<p>Bard happiness! :)</p>
<p>Northeastern used to offer $10k scholarships to non-music majors who played in the orchestra after one year of playing. This info is several years out of date since it was offered to a friend’s son who is now in grad school, so check with the school. Gettysburg is another school that offered music scholarships to non-music majors several years ago when son was looking. SUNY Plattsburgh offers a small scholarship for non-music majors after an audition. You are more likely to find music scholarships for non-music majors at schools that don’t have a conservatory/or strong music program. The stronger programs usually save their scholarship dollars for the music majors. Definitely, look through the websites of the schools you are considering to see what they offer.</p>
<p>Skidmore offers a competitive music scholarship open to non-majors [Filene</a> Scholarship Information](<a href=“Filene Scholarship Information”>Filene Scholarship Information)</p>
<p>University of Rochester offers music scholarships to non music majors. This is separate from EASTMAN. In two cases I know of students who got these scholarship even though they did not audition at Eastman. They did however send in recordings with their applications and had impressive music resumes (districts, states, prep school experience, festivals etc…)</p>
<p>University of Puget Sound offers scholarships to non music majors.</p>
<p>University of Toledo offers music scholarships to non majors. My D, also a viola player, was offered $2000 by their music department. She chose to go elsewhere but it was offered.</p>
<p>Puget Sound is one of the universities that offered my niece a large scholarship for viola.</p>
<p>There are many schools that offer scholarships for participation in marching bands and the amounts vary widely (In the last 2 days I have seen as low as $250 at one and as high as $5000 at a private school)…It is not true everywhere, but it really does happen in many places. The school my son is going to attend next year has a kind of odd deal where Marching Band can serve as their version of a work and learn program (They do other odd jobs in addition to marching band). He will get nearly $2400 in work and learn money basically for being in the band. </p>
<p>That is probably a very unusual program as it is at a school where there is enough work for the band participants to do things like cleaning the orchestral halls, ushering concerts, etc.</p>
<p>Best to check each schools websites.</p>
<p>Davidson and Kenyon (Kenyon’s is 15,000).</p>