Annually Drum Corps International’s scholarship program assists deserving World and Open Class corps members with offsetting the costs of their marching music experience.
Matthew Sarmiento, a music education major from Bakersfield, California, experienced the DCI scholarship process firsthand in 2022, when he applied for and was named the recipient of three unique scholarship awards.
After two years with Golden Empire in 2019 and 2021, Sarmiento marched as a snare drummer with Pacific Crest in 2022 and will spend his age-out season with the Blue Stars on the 2023 DCI Tour. DCI.org talked with him about the scholarships process and how corps members can benefit from the more than $85,000 available to them this coming season.
View all 2023 scholarship opportunities
What's your musical background?
I started playing music when I was in fifth grade with the beginning band at my elementary school. I really got into music when I joined the indoor drum line at my middle school. When I got to high school, I learned how to play mallets and concert percussion, and I decided my sophomore year I wanted to major in music in college. I marched with Golden Empire in the summer of 2019 and 2021. Now, I am going into my third year of college as a music major. While in college, so far I have marched with Pacific Crest and POW percussion. I go to Fresno State and I am in the marching band, the wind orchestra, percussion ensemble, and a scholarship group called Bulldog Beat. I was contracted to march Blue Stars at the end of January, and I am very excited for my age-out!
You won three DCI scholarships in 2022: How did you find out about these opportunities?
I found them on the DCI website! I was thinking of ways to raise funds for the summer during indoor percussion season, and my friends along with Pacific Crest encouraged me to sign up for as many scholarships as possible.
How did you go about choosing which scholarship to apply for? Did you apply for others?
I applied to any of the scholarships that I qualified for. My original goal was to apply for every scholarship on the DCI website, but I realized I didn’t fit the qualifications for some of them, so I ended up applying for about six or seven scholarships in total.
What motivated you to pursue these scholarships?
The main thing that motivated me was being able to march my age-out season. About halfway through the summer with Pacific Crest, I realized I would be able to afford to finish paying tuition soon, and that meant as soon as I finished paying those fees, I could start saving money for my age-out. I also really wanted to take advantage of the help that was available and there for musicians like me. Money has never been an easy thing for my family and I to deal with, so these scholarships helped me tremendously overcome financial insecurity issues.
What would you say to other corps members about pursuing scholarships?
My first piece of advice would be to apply to as many scholarships as you possibly can. The more you apply to, the higher your chances are of winning one! Next, I would say don't be afraid to ask for help when writing essays for scholarships or filling out applications. Also, don't be afraid to ask for letters of recommendation. The people who know you best and watch you play and see you everyday like your professors, corps director, drum corps staff, or even friends and family are usually more than happy to write you a letter of recommendation.
What was the experience like when you discovered you had won not one but three scholarships?
I had the biggest smile on my face and I was super happy, but I was also a little confused. I had previously received two emails informing me that I had won two scholarships and what time to go to the Lucas Oil Stadium tunnel in uniform for the awards ceremony during the DCI World Championship Semifinals. That was the Double Beat and Jim Ott scholarships. I actually didn't know I won the Richardson’s Scholarship until I was in the tunnel before the ceremony! I saw two pieces of paper with my name on them, so I stood right there, but then a representative came up to me and said to go to the back of the line after I received my two awards for my third scholarship, and that was the moment I found out that I won three! I was a little confused, but nonetheless feeling very grateful for all the support that was offered to me and happy that I had an opportunity for this experience.
Any fun/interesting anecdotes as a result of the awards?
I was walking to the tunnel in full uniform for the ceremony, I walked past one of the snare instructors at Pacific Crest, Aya Strauss, and she had a very confused look on her face, since the ceremony was a long time after our Semifinals performance. She asked me why I was in uniform, and I told her I was about to receive a couple of DCI scholarships, and her face lit up. She told me congratulations, and I was on my way.
Finally, what does the future hold for you in drum corps?
I plan on marching again in 2023, for my age-out season. It is hard to believe I am already aging out, when it still feels like I just started yesterday. I am planning on going to the military as a musician after I graduate college, but that will probably be a couple of years after I graduate, so I would love to teach drum corps for a summer! I've always appreciated the work from staff members and will never forget the many times they have greatly inspired and motivated me to be better and do better. It would be an absolute pleasure and an honor for me to inspire and motivate future drum corps students.
More than $85,000 in scholarship funds will be awarded in 2023 to deserving DCI World and Open Class corps members enrolled and participating in summer programming. New for 2023: Application deadlines for most scholarships have been changed to mid-April in an effort to allow awards to be applied — where applicable — to the current season's tour fees.
View a complete list of 2023 scholarships