Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship

Armand Zildjian’s introduction into the world of music came at a very early age. Born into the Zildjian family with a 350-year-old tradition of cymbal craftsmanship, it was always understood that Armand would follow his father Avedis into the family business. For Armand, it was an honor to match cymbals for the great symphonies and to collaborate with the greatest drummers of the day to develop the new cymbal sounds musicians were looking for. In receiving his honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 1988, Armand told the Berklee students how very fortunate they were to have the opportunity to study contemporary music. “In my day”, said Armand, “the classroom was primarily the nightclubs where all the great musicians learned from each other.” As a charter member of the Percussive Arts Society and a 16 year Trustee of Berklee College, Armand sought to create more learning opportunities for today’s musicians both in contemporary and classical music. The PAS Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship is one step in fulfilling that quest.

As a charter member of the Percussive Arts Society and a 16-year Trustee of Berklee College, Armand Zildjian sought to create more learning opportunities for today’s musicians in both contemporary and classical music. The PAS Armand Zildjian Percussion Scholarship is one step in fulfilling that quest. This annual $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to a full-time student percussionist enrolled in an accredited college or university school of music.

Eligibility:  The scholarship is open to any incoming college freshman or current college student enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university school of music during the 2024–2025 academic year. Applicant must be an active PAS Member.

Application Materials: 

• Completed application
• Letter of recommendation verifying age and school attendance
• Video demonstrating the applicant’s ability on at least two different percussion instruments and does not exceed ten minutes in length