Jazz at the Ballroom Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Jazz at the Ballroom

Thank you for your interest in the JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM scholarship. JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM is a California nonprofit organization committed to advancing jazz education across the state and ensuring the continued vitality of the jazz art form. We present concerts in a variety of venues—primarily in California—featuring renowned jazz artists from around the world. In support of our educational mission, we are awarding scholarships to talented student jazz musicians who live and study in California. Three scholarships will be granted to promising young jazz instrumentalists to assist with their continued jazz studies. The application and eligibility details are below.

Eligibility
- Open to California high school jazz instrumentalists aged 14 through 18. Applicants under 18 must have their submission approved by a parent or legal guardian.
- Must be enrolled in a California high school at the time of application.
- Must be a legal resident of the United States or one of its territories.
- Only one application per person is permitted.
- All application materials (entry form, personal statement, and recording) must be submitted and received by December 19, 2025. The entry form is available on our website.

Application materials and submission guidelines
- Recording: Submit either an audio or video file. The audition must consist of two pieces: one ballad and one contrasting selection.
- Spoken introduction: At the start of the recording please state your name, the title of each piece, and the composer(s).
- Accompaniment: Jazz trios or ensembles may be used for accompaniment.
- Personal statement: Include a paragraph describing your jazz background, favorite artists and musical influences, your musical and jazz-study goals, and how you would use the scholarship funds (for example, private jazz lessons, tuition for a jazz-focused program, etc.).
- Length: The complete submission (recordings plus spoken intro and written material) should not exceed 15 minutes.
- Submission process: All materials must be uploaded/submitted as instructed on the scholarship page. There is no application fee.

Ownership, publicity and privacy
- All submitted materials become the property of Jazz at the Ballroom and will not be returned.
- Submissions are governed by the JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM privacy policy, available on the Scholarship page of our website.
- By applying, you consent to JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM publicizing your name, school, instrument, and the musical selections you submitted if you are named a finalist.

Selection, awards and performance opportunities
- A panel of professional jazz musicians will select three finalists.
- Each finalist will receive a $500 scholarship to support further music study.
- In addition to the cash award, winners will be invited to perform in two to three paid JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM (JATB) events during the following calendar year—providing live performance experience in the community. The combined value of the cash award plus paid performances is estimated at $1,000 per winner.
- Judging criteria include musicality, melodic development and delivery, harmonic understanding, rhythmic feel, technical facility, clarity in improvisation, creativity, and swing feel.
- The scholarship is awarded solely on the basis of musical talent, skill, performance, and demonstrated interest in jazz as shown in the recording and written materials. Academic record and financial need are not factors.

Other information
- There is no application fee.
- Applicants who are not selected as finalists will be invited to join a database of students eligible to attend free JATB workshops during the upcoming school year.

Important dates
- September 2025 — Application information and forms become available.
- December 19, 2025 — Application deadline (all materials must be received by this date).
- February 13, 2026 — Winners announced.

For full submission instructions, the entry form, and the privacy policy, please visit the Scholarship page on the JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM website.