Scholarships and Financial Assistance


Partial Scholarships

MDJW Student, Danny
MDJW Student, Danny

5 partial scholarships are available to Session I students; each individual grant subtracts $100 off of tuition. Tuition is competitive and winners are blindly judged by an independent party. (see rules below).

 

$399.00 = Session I Tuition

$299.00 = Session I Tuition with partial scholarship

 

Scholarships are open to all ages, experience levels, and instruments. It is the hope of the MDJW that students who are not in financial need defer to students who do have a greater need for the tuition discount. Financial need is NOT a direct consideration for scholarships.


Talent scholarships ARE applicable with other discounts (like 10% Early-Bird Discount) and independent assistance programs (like high school band booster scholarships).


If you are in a high school music program, investigate your school's policy of granting assistance for music camps/lessons.

Many other organizations may also provide this kind of help.



The process for submitting your scholarship application is straight-forward, but please follow the directions very closely. All instruments including voice may apply. 

 

Scholarship and Assistance applications and video/audio submissions must be received by June 1st, 2015. Winners will be informed in a few weeks from this date.

 

Applicants must follow the following steps:

 

1. Scholarship interest should be notated on main application. If not noted, please email postbop@hotmail.com immediately to express your interest.

 

2. Fill out the scholarship application below.

 

3. Preferred format of submission is mp3 sent through email or YouTube link. CDs may also be submitted as an alternative but mp3s are preferred; CDs can be sent to "MDJW Scholarships" - 40534 Aynesley St, Clinton Twp, MI 48038. Please send them within a week of submitting your scholarship form.

 

4. It is preferred to be backed by a trio of piano/guitar, bass, and drummer, but as long as requirements are filled, submissions can consist of less instruments, including a solo performance provided it is with a metronome. Tunes should be at a medium tempo or higher. 


5. Please select three tunes from the following mp3s:

 

BACKING-TRACK mp3s of all tunes (piano, bass, and drums) are available by request

 


Horn Players- all instruments (excluding singers, rhythm section instruments)

You must select two tunes from the following:

 

GROUP 1: (1 tune)

 

Any blues tune in concert F, or Bb. It should be played at a medium tempo, swing feel. Examples of blues tunes are, Au Privave, Sonnymoon for Two, Blue Monk, Bessie's Blues, Blues for Alice.

 

1. Play the head (melody) for the fist time through the form.

2. Solo for 3 choruses

3. Any arranging of tunes are optional, but please focus on the head and solo.

4. Recording quality is NOT a factor in judging, but try to record something that is clear.

 

GROUP 2: (Pick 1 standard tune from the following)

 

You Stepped Out of a Dream

The Days of Wine and Roses

Alone Together

It's You or No One

It Could Happen to You

Out of Nowhere

Someday My Prince Will Come

Star Eyes

There Will Never be Another You

Ladybird

Confirmation

How High the Moon

Giant Steps

Just Friends

All the Things You Are

In Your Own Sweet Way

 

All of these tunes can be found as lead sheets in different "fake books", like the Real Book Vol I,II,III, and the New Real Book (Sher) Vol I,II,III

 

All tempos are medium. 

 

 


Rhythm Section Instruments

Follow similar directions as horn players, except:

 

Pianists/Guitarists:

 

If you use the play-along, turn the piano off by cutting out one of the halves of the output. This is leaves you with only bass and drums, and permits you to "comp" while playing the melody and soloing

 

Bassists:

 

Cut out the bass side of the play-along track if you choose to use it. Follow similar directions as horn players, except:

 

Instead of playing melody, or after you play the melody (optional), play a chorus of walking bass lines, grooving with the drums and piano.

 

Drummers/Percussionists:

 

Play solo or with a group.

Demonstrate:

 

1. Command of different "grooves". Play examples of 3 to 5 significantly different ones. Medium swing feel must be one of them.


Possible examples: Swing, Funk, Bossa Nova, Samba, Afro-Cuban, Jazz Waltz, Ballad, etc...

 

2. Solo- either trading with another instrument or extended drum solo over the form is fine if playing with other musicians. Play a solo over the form if you are just sending a solo piece.


Vocalists

Vocalists, choose TWO jazz songs that typify your singing style. You can use already recorded material provided it fits the guideline of straight-ahead jazz. At least one of the tunes should have a swing feel, and one should be a ballad.

 


1. Song with a Swing Feel

2. Ballad


 

Any backup format is OK, and recording quality is not a judgment factor in choosing scholarships.


SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Note: Please fill out the fields marked with an asterisk.

By submitting this application, I am confirming that the applicant being heard for submission for scholarship or grant is the person filling out this form. Any fraud may, at the decision of the MDJW, result in forfeiture of scholarship/grant and possible exclusion from workshop with no refund in application fee or tuition.

Good Luck!