Neil Peart’s Legacy Honored With ‘Spirit of Drumming’ Scholarship by ‘Modern Drummer’ Magazine
In honor of late Rush drummer Neil Peart, Modern Drummer magazine has officially announced the 'Neil Peart Spirit of Drumming Scholarship,' with support from his family.
Peart was regarded as one of the world's all time best drummers, not just within rock and metal, but across all of music. While his style was overtly technical and continuously pushed the boundaries of Rush's music and his own abilities, the skinsman had an impeccable knack for weaving hooks into his stickwork, and was always in pursuit of learning more about his craft and the world around him.
Word of this honorary scholarship first came in 2020 as Peart's widow, Carrie Nutall-Peart announced the news at the Modern Drummer Festival. Now, the scholarship was fully materialized and aims to provide one recipient with 52 weeks of free drum lessons from Dom Famularo, who has conducted masterclass drum clinics around the globe, a one-year subscription to Modern Drummer All Access as well as a selection of Rush albums from Universal Music Enterprises.
A "qualified entrant" for the scholarship is defined, through a press release, as "someone who is a legal US citizen between the ages of 14 and 21, is not a professional musician, and is not a party to any sponsorship or entertainment contract that, in Modern Drummer's judgment, conflicts with the spirit of the scholarship."
Anyone who meets this criteria is urged to submit a two-minute video of themselves playing drums in addition to a short essay explaining why this scholarship "will be significant to both their life and drumming," and how Peart inspired their playing, as noted in that same press release.
To enter and to read the official rules, head here. All submissions must be received prior to Nov. 26, 2021 and the winner will be revealed at this year's Modern Drummer Festival and will be featured in a future magazine issue.
Peart died of brain cancer on Jan. 7, 2020 after quietly being diagnosed three years prior to his passing. He was 67.