My son plays the trombone, his music director called it a “scholarship instrument”. What does that mean ? He’s still a freshman so we have a long way to go before college applications but I am trying to figure out how/if this will help him.
He enjoys playing it and is one of the better players in his band, he is interested in jazz and will be going to summer camp to practice. Do colleges look for music players for their bands like they do with athletes ?
He has great academics 3.9 UW GPA but band takes a lot of time so he doesn’t have any other EC. At this point he’s interested in science but no idea if that’s what he’ll apply to college, however he won’t be majoring in music.
If you are asking if colleges recruit musicians…the answer is…no.
But if your son continues to play his instrument well, this can be helpful at colleges that allow a music supplement to be sent. I’ll let @compmom explain.
As an FYI, my engineering major kid had just about all music ECs. She played an instrument that was considered “endangered” at the time. She also wanted to play in a college orchestra as NOT a music major. When the time comes, I would suggest your son reach out to the instrumental music dept chairs at colleges he is interested in attending.
Also, some students love being in marching band and pep band…and trombone is in these too!
How do you know he won’t major in music? Seriously, he is pretty young so future major and career are probably not clear yet, at least not for a lot of kids.
Not all colleges have band and some colleges might be looking for jazz ensemble, classical ensemble or orchestral experience. But of course some universities do have band and trombone is useful in all of the above.
If qualified, he can submit a music supplement with recording (solo or at least with his playing clearly audible), a music resume, and letter(s) of recommendation related to music- if the colleges in question accept these.
You might want to post on the excellent music major forum here on CC. When the time comes, folks on there can suggest schools if he is still interested in band.
My daughter is in marching band at her large state school. Out of state students receive a nice discount off the out of state supplement (@$15,000/yr) plus each member in state and out of state receives a $500 scholarship in second semester (their duties conclude after the bowl game). Pep band for basketball and volleyball pay cash - something like $20-$25/game. They certainly didn’t recruit her to be in the band, but if you like band and you want to be involved at school, it’s a total win-win.
It might be helpful if someone started a thread on how marching band members are compensated at various colleges. This could be a huge help to future students who are interested in marching band.
There are some colleges that have music performance programs, but also have ensembles for students who are not music majors. Boston University, for example, has BUMO…ensembles for non-majors, and they are pretty good!
And there are also colleges that allow all students to audition for all of their ensembles.
I think it’s great you are exploring multiple options now.
First thank you all for your very helpful replies.
I will look into conservatory programs. He is interested in marching bands, he already plays in the school pep band so he plays at all the football games and enjoys it.
As for not majoring in music well he’s already thinking about college loans and his music tutors have been pretty honest about how lil you can make as a full time musician so it’s a hobby that he enjoys, not just the instrument but also the friendship of playing in a band with other kids.
I didn’t think he would be recruited but I figured it would help him stand out, after all the marching band’s players have to come from somewhere right ? and most marching bands have quiet a few trombone players. Sounds like he’s on the right track thanks again everyone. And also @3kids2dogs I never thought that there would be a financial angel to his playing.
My nephew who just graduated wanted a bigger school with a marching band (he plays baritone) but in the end the cost and academic opportunities has him going to Colorado School of Mines, which just has a pep band for games. I don’t think he’ll get any money for it.
When I was in school, several of my friends were in marching band. The benefit I thought was the best was they got to go to the football games, of course, but got flown to the BOWL game, in Miami, for New Year’s weekend. They were flown from their homes all around the country and then back to their homes as school didn’t restart for another 3 weeks. I was very jealous.
Sounds like he really enjoys playing his instrument. I’m sure he will find a college where he can continue to play.
As a note…a conservatory within a large university might have a marching band and a pep band.
I’m personally not familiar with any stand alone conservatory programs with marching bands or pep bands.
If you want to start some research about marching bands and pep bands, start with your state flagship university. Most have this…especially if they have a football and basketball team.
Our high school band directors were also very familiar with the colleges in our area that had these…so your son could try asking them.
Just as an aside. At University of Michigan 1/3 of the marching band are engineering students. They get some merit. I don’t know about the process so for the fun of it might want to call and learn.
My son is in the Alabama marching band on the trombone. He is an engineering student as are many others in the trombone section. When visiting schools many marching bands seem to be about 40% engineering!
He was a sub in a couple pep bands and they go get paid for that. He very much enjoyed going to the football games and the bowl game. He was in a a concert band in the spring as well.
One thing to consider is how often you get to march the show. At Alabama once you are in the marching band, you perform at each home game at both pregame and halftime. However at Michigan they audition to perform each week. His friend there was only in one halftime show. He did get to go to the home game and play the stand tunes. But he didn’t qualify for the bowl game. They had a different experience for sure. Those are the only 2 I know about, but if your son is interested it’s a good thing to ask about.
At my D’s school, there are many different groups (Orchestra, ensembles, bands…) and some are open to all while others are entered after an audition.
Sadly, one can’t do every group, because there isn’t enough time, because each group uses up several hours a week, and also because some groups schedules conflict.
She started the year with Marching Band, which I would suggest only if you have a super high energy level and don’t get tired easily. Apparently, you aren’t allowed to faint on the field. That group had no monetary compensation.
Throughout the year she was in a wind ensemble after auditioning. Loves it more than anything and it was also contributing to the scholarship after the full year (500$), and will increase the amount each year.
Unless he’s going to college for music I would not expect playing an instrument to help him out any more than say playing baseball for 6-7 years or some other activity. Music is a great program for the kid to be in - lots of opportunities to excel, be put in leadership positions and participate outside of school (summer camps, regional & all-state bands, etc). All of those things are great to chart and include on the resume. Obviously there’s going to be differences from one school to the next.
S23 is a tuba player and this has been our experience in applying to colleges for this fall as a potential music minor but unrelated major. Colleges with larger music programs (schools of music, etc) will often use scholarships as hooks for instruments they want but based on my observation trombone isn’t one of them - there are lots of kids that play trombone, at least in my area of the country.
Yes! And auditioning in general. My daughter is at University of South Carolina and they do video auditions so she knew she was in the band before May 1 - they try out for pregame at band camp before each season (you may be an alternate, but they generally march a few games anyway because people get injured or are sick or whatever) and just about everyone marches in every halftime. Pregame alternates march in every halftime, and everyone else sits out one, maybe?
Some of the other schools she looked at did not finalize band rosters until band camp in the summer. How heartbreaking to want to be in marching band and get cut in August! Especially because band camp conflicted with sorority recruitment, and she had to commit to band or to rush - you couldn’t do both.
I’ve also noticed some schools “take care” of the band better than others. Scholarships, gear, practice space (Alabama’s practice turf is awesome, so is South Carolina’s) and travel are all differentiators - not saying choose your school for four years based on where you get the best swag or whether there is a designated practice turf just for marching band, but in hindsight, we’ve realized how nice it is for her to attend a school that loves and invests in its band.
Yes for an early notification too! He found out on May 1. Not super early, but it was morning and he could have easily made a different decision based on the results. Michigan wasn’t until mid-July.
No clue. I was watching the band at a pregame warm up outside the stadium. One of the mothers of a band member was right next to me. I asked if they get merit and she said yes. I asked if he plays at the games and sje said yes. She wss taking pictures and very happy … He was in the marching band for 4 years and he was a senior.
They do play at games, but maybe not in the halftime show. I know my son’s friend didn’t travel to any of the away games or post-season games with the band.They do a weekly challenge for that. I’ll have to have my son ask his friend about merit for it.
I have a friend who’s son did 4 years in the Michigan marching band and I know he was in many halftime shows. Next time I see her I will ask her for more details too. Just to see. He loved it
Seriously, he is pretty young so future major and career are probably not clear yet, at least not for a lot of kids.
… He was in the marching band for 4 years and he was a senior.