The Michael Kamen Solo Award is a grant program administered by Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (MHOF), a national 501(c)(3) organization founded by composer Michael Kamen in 1996. The foundation keeps music alive in schools by donating musical instruments to underfunded music programs serving low-income students nationwide. To date, MHOF has provided instruments to over 500,000 economically disadvantaged students. The Michael Kamen Grant is the foundation's sole program addressing instrumental music program needs at underfunded schools.
How the Michael Kamen Solo Award Works
The program operates as a school-based grant rather than an individual scholarship. Schools apply on behalf of their music programs, and the foundation provides instruments directly to qualifying schools.
Eligibility Requirements
Schools must serve populations with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals (typically Title I schools). The music program must demonstrate need, meaning existing instruments are insufficient, damaged, or nonexistent. Schools must have a dedicated music teacher and an established music curriculum. Grants are available nationwide.
Application Process
Schools submit an application through the MHOF website. The process includes a grant application review and school vetting conducted by the foundation's Program Director and Program Associate. Awarded schools receive a grant agreement, instrument receipts, and evaluation reports. The foundation purchases instruments directly from music products vendors and ships them to the school.
Adopt A School Campaign
In addition to the Michael Kamen Grant, MHOF runs the Adopt A School campaign, which connects qualifying schools in need of musical instruments with donors who want to support music education in a community of their choice. This campaign, promoted in partnership with musician Wolfgang Van Halen, allows individuals and organizations to fund instruments for specific schools.
Music Rising
MHOF also administers Music Rising, a program that replaces instruments lost or destroyed in natural disasters. This program has helped schools and musicians rebuild after hurricanes, floods, and other catastrophic events.
MEDSS Program
Music (and Arts) Education District Support Services (MEDSS) is a comprehensive arts education assessment and consulting service that identifies challenges and barriers creating inequities for student access to music and arts programming across entire school districts.
Real-World Example
A Title I middle school in Los Angeles with a band program but only 15 working instruments for 60 interested students could apply for a Michael Kamen Grant through MHOF. After the application review and school vetting process, the foundation could award the school $35,000 worth of new musical instruments. This happened at Florence Nightingale Middle School in Los Angeles, where students gathered for a surprise celebration that culminated in the unveiling of $35,000 worth of new instruments for their music program.
A rural school district in Florida could apply and receive enough instruments so that, as one teacher put it, students do not have to consider finances when participating in band. Rachel Thompson, Band Director at Discovery Intermediate in Kissimmee, Florida, reported that without MHOF support, many of her students would have been unable to afford instrument rental fees.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
If you are an individual student looking for a scholarship to pay for college tuition, the Michael Kamen Solo Award is not the right program. It is a school-based instrument grant, not an individual scholarship.
However, this program matters to you if you teach at or attend an underfunded school. Music programs in low-income communities are frequently the first to be cut when budgets tighten. MHOF fills that gap by providing instruments that students cannot afford to rent or buy. Without instruments, students cannot participate in music at all. With instruments, they gain access to the many benefits of music education including improved academic performance, higher self-esteem, and creative expression.
If you are a music teacher at a qualifying school, apply through the MHOF website. If you are a donor or musician looking to support music education, consider the Adopt A School campaign.
For more information, contact support@mhopus.org or call 818-762-4328.
Eligibility Criteria (plain terms)
- Schools must be full-time public, charter, private, or parochial schools serving grades K-12 in the United States or a U.S. Territory.
- The school must have an established instrumental, choral, or general music program that is part of the regular school day. Types of instrumental programs that qualify include band, strings, mariachi, guitar labs, keyboard labs, jazz band, and modern band.
- The school must serve populations with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals (typically Title I schools).
- The school must employ a dedicated music teacher (instrumental, choral, or general) who has taught at the applying school for at least two consecutive years.
- The school must have an existing inventory of musical instruments and/or appropriate music equipment.
- The school must have a designated music classroom with secure storage for instruments and equipment.
- Individual students cannot apply. Only schools can apply on behalf of their music programs.
- Grants consist of musical instruments and equipment only. No cash grants are provided. Only student model instruments are provided, and the brand is at the discretion of the Foundation.
Deadlines
- Applications are by invitation only. Schools must first complete a Pre-Qualification form available on the MHOF website.
- Submitting the Pre-Qualification form does not guarantee an invitation to apply.
- The process operates on a rolling basis. There is no fixed annual deadline.
- Contact applications@mhopus.org for pre-qualification and application timeline questions.
Past Recipients
In fiscal year 2025 (2024 to 2025), Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation donated 2,284 instruments to 72 schools totaling $2,359,054 in value. The foundation publishes a full list of awarded schools on its website. Notable recent grants include:
- Riverside High School (Jacksonville, FL): $38,000 in new instruments and band equipment
- Florence Nightingale Middle School (Los Angeles, CA): $35,000 in new instruments
- Bearden Middle School, Gresham Middle School, and Vine Middle Magnet School (Knox County, TN): over $180,000 combined (Bearden $26,208, Gresham $100,358, Vine $55,044)
- Coffee County Schools (TN): $157,630 in instruments across multiple schools
- Paul Harding Junior High School (Fort Wayne, IN): 12 new instruments including a $6,000 tuba
The foundation has provided instruments to over 500,000 students since its founding in 1996. Schools in over 40 states have received grants.
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- CMA Foundation - Grants for school music programs
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Related Opportunities
- ASCAP Foundation Scholarships for individual composers and songwriters
- MTNA Scholarships for individual student competitions
- VH1 Save the Music Foundation for school music program grants
- Music Scholarships Directory for the full list of funding opportunities
- Visit Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation for grant applications and eligibility details
