Prep School Music Scholarships

[TigressMummy]

From a school your DC already attend.

Any experience?

What is required?

Was there any help or advice? What was the application process like? What happens afterwards?

pretty non-existent before senior school in my experience. maybe different if it's a specialist music school. senior usually require grade 5 in at least two instruments plus involvement in orchestras etc. if you get a music scholarship you pretty much belong to the music department once you are there!

Prep schools do have music scholarships. I think if you are already at the school you must be aware of the standard!! Have you not been to concerts and recitals? Our standard was very high! It would depend on the prep though. Can you not ask the music dept? The music scholars had to do performances at concerts, be in the orchestra and generally be enthusiastic about music. Less onerous in a prep than a senior school. I don't think they expected two instruments either.

how old is he?

and when did he start playing?

He's just going in to Year 3 and started playing in Year 1. 2 years of lessons minus school holidays and a missing term last year due to teacher long term illness which set him back quite a bit.

You've deleted a previous message so I can't remember if you said he has just done grade 1 or going to do it. I have to be honest, unless he does loads of orchestras etc or there's something else you haven't said, grade 1 in year 3 after two years of lessons doesn't jump out as music scholarship material.

for comparison my daughter who has just finished year 3 has done grade 3 piano with merit, grade 1 theory and is playing violin at a grade 2 level and she isn't the best musician in her year - I have no particular expectations of a scholarship for senior.

At dcs prep you would need to be on course for at least 2 grade 5s by the senior school. Ds has just got an internal scholarship going into year 7, he has grade 5 and grade 4, plus has grade 5 theory. A lot also depends on when you started playing too, I'd ask the Head of Music what they think

I've only ever heard of music scholarships for year 7 and above.

Dd will be applying for a music scholarship for year 9. She's just about to go into Year 8 and has Grade 5 cello, Grade 6 singing, and will take Grade 5 piano at Christmas. This still may not be enough - it just depends who else applies.

Oops by senior school I meant year 9 not year 7

If your DC is already in the school, talking to the Head of Music about your interest is the most useful first step. They should be encouraging for all applicants, both those which are likely and those which are long shots (listen between the lines and you might get some idea of where your DC fits that spectrum for that school and that year)

Is your DC also participating in school junior choir? And perhaps a couple of ensembles, bands or orchestras? If they do this out of school too, doe the music department know about this?

If it is grade one in one instrument by year 3, then that in itself sounds pretty typical. It would be the other things that show musicality, and of course real enthusiasm coming from your DC, that would make then stand out.

Also, you need to find out how much commitment to the musical life of the school music scholars are expected to make. Does the prospect enthuse your DC? Are they likely to do that anyhow, even if they are nit awarded an honour?

At St Paul's Cathedral, the choristers have their tuition paid by the Cathedral. However, they board and the parents pay the cost of boarding.

Except for specialist choir schools I doubt many preps have music scholarships for little ones

DS2's offers some for year 7, largely I think because they have another class intake at 11+, but boys who are already there can apply too. He had a go for the experience and we were surprised and delighted that he got a music exhibitions which gives him free tuition in two instruments. He is playing at grade 5 french horn, working on grade 6 violin and took grade 5 singing and theory ages ago and sings in a serious church choir, member of the NCO etc

The scholarship winners get the lessons plus 10% off the fees, so about £1.8k a year rebate . The winners were mostly in JDs at the royal college and eg working on grade 8 violin and grade 7 double bass etc.

I think the point is to try to have open discussions with the HT and Head of Music about what would be expected of the child and parents, and to reflect on what you would expect from the school in return. It is easy to get carried away with the opportunity to apply or an offer of a scholarship. Try to get any conditions in writing too so that things are clear on both sides.

Scholarships from year 7 for 10% or so of fees and free lessons. Requires two instruments - either both around grade 4 or one grade 5+ and one lower but some flexibility. Based on pretty informal audition and presentation of a portfolio of music experience and interests - i.e. want people to show interest and commitment as much as playing level.

OP, many start playing instruments at a young age and are, therefore, a higher grade than your son. Just bear in mind that even if it's not possible now, if he has a love of music which continues it can be done when he's older.

DD is 15 and got a scholarship for Sixth Form (she's auditioned for two and got them). She didn't start her first instrument until she was 10. Within five years she's got her Grade 8 violin with distinction. Due to shortage of money, she's been self teaching piano and has only had a few lessons recently - the teacher tells us she's around Grade 6.

One school only wanted an audition for violin as it was a scholarship in one instrument. The other school said it was up to her if she auditioned for both or just one, she did both and her scholarship is for both instruments. One thing that came from her during her initial performance which we were present for, was how committed and passionate she was about music, which I think helped her stand out.