Music industry scholarships provided for aspiring performers

Although the prevalence of digital downloading may have rendered music a less profitable arm of the entertainment industry than it once was, some successful musicians and business leaders want to help the next generation. To do this, they're providing scholarships for students considering a career in the music business.

"There is this myth that there is a wall, and on the other side of the wall there are people trying to keep you out. That’s not the case," said George Flanigen, chair of the board of trustees for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, during a forum at Loyola University, as reported by the Loyola Maroon. "There are people on the other side of the wall looking for talent. If you have the talent and connections, you can be successful in the music industry.”

Flanigen's organization offered 40 scholarships for college students for a year-long memberships in its GrammyU program. The article appearing in the Loyola Maroon states that the program will allow college students to interact with real live music business professionals, and hopefully incur some experience and opportunities for networking. The deadline was extended from October 15 to November 2, due to the organization receiving what it considered a less-than adequate amount of scholarship applications.

Meanwhile, the BayFest Music Education Program announced the recipients of its $1,000 grants for financial aid for school in music industry programs to 20 Alabama students. According to Bobby Bostwick, the organization's president and founder, these scholarships are how he and his associates intended to "give back to the community," and strives to provide music industry experience for students who otherwise wouldn't receive the opportunities.

"We’re fostering local talent and teaching students how to be successful in the music industry," he said in a statement appearing on the foundation's website. "They can’t find this kind of information or instruction in one place anywhere else."

The statement from BayFest goes on to note that this year, it joined forces with a charity run by the rock band 3 Doors Down, and doled out a grand total of $10,000 to aspiring students of the music world. The next occasion for session where high school students will be able to begin participating in the program is Sept. 28 of 2013.

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