Jazz at the Ballroom (JTB) Scholarship

Amount: $500

Deadline: December 19, 2025

Winners Announced: February 13, 2026

JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM has created a scholarship to support California student musicians. Three scholarships will be awarded to promising young jazz musicians in California to support their continued jazz studies.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

The competition is open to high school jazz instrumentalists in California aged 14-18. Applicants under 18 years of age must have an application submission approved by a parent or legal guardian. Applicants must be enrolled in a California High School. Applicants must complete an entry form (available on our website), a personal statement, and include a recording (does not need to be a professional recording) as further described below.

ADDITIONAL RULES AND GUIDELINES

Recordings can be submitted in audio or video form and must be two audition pieces: one ballad and one contrasting piece. Please include one paragraph explaining the applicant’s background in jazz, favorite artists and musical influences, future goals and plans in music and jazz study, and the use of the scholarship money (i.e. private jazz study, tuition for a jazz-focused music program, etc.). All submissions will become the property of Jazz at the Ballroom and will not be returned. All of the submission information will be subject to the JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM privacy policy (available on the Scholarship page of the website). In applying, applicants agree to allow JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM to publicize the applicant’s name, school, instrument played, and musical selections if the applicant is selected as a finalist. Jazz trios and ensembles can be used as accompaniment. The recording submitted should include a brief introduction with your name, the piece you will be performing, and the name(s) of the composer(s). Only one application can be submitted per person.

Three finalists will be picked by a panel of professional jazz musicians and awarded $500 each to further their music studies. In addition to the cash prize, all winners will be given the opportunity to play in two to three JATB performances in the coming calendar year. These paid events will give the students the opportunity to perform live in the community. The total value of the award is $1000. The panel will be looking at the following criteria in judging performances: musicality, melodic development and delivery, harmonic understanding, rhythmic feel, technical ability, improvisation clarity, creativity, and swing feel. The entire submission should be no more than 15 minutes long. This scholarship is based solely on talent, skill, performance, and interest in jazz showcased in the music and written submission. Neither academic performance nor financial need is considered.

The students who are not finalists will be invited to join a database of students who can attend FREE workshops throughout the upcoming school year.