# Music Programs & Competitions for High School Students

Music extracurriculars span honor ensembles, national competitions, composition programs, and conservatory-run summer intensives.

For non-conservatory applicants, sustained musical achievement plus a leadership role (section leader, drum major, founder) reads as discipline plus initiative.

41 verified programs match this page; 13 of the featured listings are free; 2 can be done online.

## Programs (41 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-nyo-usa) | Carnegie Hall | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-01 |
| [Davidson Fellows Scholarship - Music Category](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/davidson-institute-fellows) | Davidson Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-18 |
| [NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/all-national-honor-ensembles) | NAfME | $1,000 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-10-01 |
| [Juilliard Pre-College](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/juilliard-pre-college) | The Juilliard School | $5,000 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2027-01-10 |
| [Berklee Five-Week Aspire: Performance Intensive](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/berklee-five-week-aspire-performance-intensive) | Berklee College of Music | $8,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-21 |
| [Frost Young Musicians Camp](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/frost-young-musicians-camp) | University of Miami Frost School of Music | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-30 |
| [Jugend musiziert Music Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/jugend-musiziert) | Deutscher Musikrat (German Music Council) | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-15 |
| [FAA High School Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/faa-high-school-competition) | University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts | Free | virtual | Grades 9–11 | 2027-02-01 |
| [New England Conservatory Preparatory School](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-england-conservatory-preparatory-school) | New England Conservatory | $5,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-08-01 |
| [NFMC Junior Festival and Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/nfmc-junior-festival-and-competition) | National Federation of Music Clubs | $25 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-01 |
| [From the Top / NPR Performance](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/from-the-top-npr-performance) | From the Top | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-01 |
| [ASTA National Solo Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/asta-national-solo-competition) | American String Teachers Association | $100 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-02-15 |
| [Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Intensive](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/berklee-five-week-summer-performance-intensive) | Berklee College of Music | $7,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-21 |
| [Sphinx Competition Laureate](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/sphinx-competition-laureate) | Sphinx Organization | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-20 |
| [MTNA National Competition Finalist](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/mtna-national-competition-finalist) | Music Teachers National Association | $75 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-09 |
| [Carnegie Hall NYO2](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-nyo2) | Carnegie Hall | Free | in_person | Grades 9–11 | 2026-12-01 |
| [Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/tanglewood-institute-young-artists-programs) | Boston Symphony Orchestra | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-21 |
| [National Guild of Piano Teachers Auditions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-guild-piano-auditions) | American College of Musicians | $40 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-01 |
| [Tri-M Music Honor Society](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/tri-m-music-honor-society) | NAfME | $30 | in_person | Grades 6–12 | 2026-12-31 |
| [Music Teachers National Association Student Competitions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/mtna-competition) | MTNA | $200 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-09 |
| [Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-national-youth-orchestra-of-the-usa-nyo-usa) | Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-01 |
| [Aspen Music Festival and School - Young Artist Programs](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/aspen-music-festival-and-school-young-artist-programs) | Aspen Music Festival | $6,000 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-08 |
| [Yellow Barn Young Artists Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yellow-barn-young-artists-program) | Yellow Barn Music Festival | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-11 |
| [All-National Honor Ensembles (NAfME)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/all-national-honor-ensembles-nafme) | National Association for Music Education | $500 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling |
| [National Federation of Music Clubs Competitions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-federation-music-clubs-competitions) | NFMC | $30 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-10 |
| [Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/joan-sutherland-richard-bonynge-bel-canto-award) | Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-03-15 |
| [Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/metropolitan-opera-council-auditions) | Metropolitan Opera | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-07-31 |
| [Carnegie Hall NYO Jazz](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/carnegie-hall-nyo-jazz) | Carnegie Hall | Free | in_person | Grades 10–12 | 2026-12-01 |
| [National Young Composers Challenge](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/national-young-composers-challenge) | Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-10-01 |
| [Cleveland Institute of Music Young Artist Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/cleveland-institute-of-music-young-artist-program) | Cleveland Institute of Music | $3,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-12-01 |

## Frequently asked questions

### How many music programs are listed for high school students?

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 41 verified music opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

### Are any of these music programs free?

Yes — 13 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early.

### Which deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (July 31, 2026); New England Conservatory Preparatory School (August 1, 2026); From the Top / NPR Performance (September 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

### Do music extracurriculars help with college admissions?

Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in music (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep.

## Related pages

- [Arts for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/arts)
- [Theater & Performing Arts Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/theater)
- [Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/competitions)
- [Leadership for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/leadership)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)
- [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit)

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Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/music
Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.