<p>Yes, I am posting this on the music major forum, but I still appreciate any help I can get :)</p>
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<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>I was wondering about schools that offer scholarships to non-music majors to perform in their major ensembles. I play the viola (All-State level and was just accepted to the Boston Youth Symphony senior orchestra), and I know violists tend to be in high demand. (I'm also somewhere in the top 10% of my class at a competitive suburban high school, scored 2100 on the SAT as a sophomore, etc) Are there schools that people have experience with that offer scholarships just for being in the orchestra, and if so, how much?</p>
<p>Check out smaller LACs that don’t have attached conservatories nor major music schools. Yes, you’re correct that the “less popular” instruments tend to do better in this department. If you’re flute, violin or soprano, there isn’t much chance, but things like low brass always stand a good chance. </p>
<p>How much is a school to school variable. Haven’t heard any “full ride” experiences, but I have heard up to 1/3 tuition…</p>
<p>Don’t know what sort of schools you are looking at. We got some good advice to look through school websites and see where they are spending their money. If they are building new music buildings, and applying for music-related grants, and such, or advertise their music programs on the main page with an invitation to “get involved”, chances are they are in the mode of trying to build their music department and would be eager to add capable musicians.</p>
<p>This was really productive for us. We (joint effort, she and I) scoped out schools that fit the basic demographics and majors that she was interested in, and then explored their music offerings. We also visited the schools to meet the teachers and explore the programs.</p>
<p>My D applied as a non-major (although she ended up enrolling as a major - violin) and received a generous scholarship from Miami Univ of Ohio (they need strings!) She also received music scholarships from St. Olafs, Denison, and Furman. Allegheny’s scholarship was academic only - they don’t have separate music scholarships, but they strongly implied in their letter that their hope was that D would join the orchestra.</p>
<p>George Washington University in Washington D.C. offers half-tuition Presidential Arts Scholarships that do not require a music major, but do require participation in performances.</p>
<p>Susquehanna U. in Pennsylvania offers music scholarships to non-majors, so they told us when my D visited last fall. I daresay the weather might be a smidgen milder than at St. Olaf’s. :)</p>
<p>A friend’s son received a scholarship to play in the Pepperdine orchestra–he’s a very fine cellist who decided not to pursue performance. They sent in a cd as a supplemental, but had known that there would be some interest.</p>