In 1995 the Irondequoit Concert Band established the Sam Bruce "Outstanding Young Instrumental Musician Award". The award was named after Sam Bruce, a well liked music teacher in West Irondequoit's Rogers and Iroquois schools, and a member of the Irondequoit Concert Band. Mr. Bruce passed away in 1994, and his wife designated memorial money for the band. With these funds, awards were created for the two West Irondequoit schools for ten years.

In 2002, the band raised additional money, supplemented by an anonymous "matching funds" donor. That allowed the awards to include the two East Irondequoit Intermediate Schools, as "The Irondequoit Concert Band Awards for Outstanding Young Instrumental Musicians". The West Irondequoit award is now continued beyond its original ten years as "The Irondequoit Concert Band Awards for Outstanding Young Instrumental Musicians", and designated "In memory of Sam Bruce". The awards are now funded indefinitely through the donations.

The schools' music departments determine the winners, based on established criteria. The winners receive a small cash award (formerly a savings bond), a trophy, his or her name on a plaque that remains in the school, and recognition at the Irondequoit Concert Band's Fourth of July concert. The award was coordinated by Jack Bloemendaal from 1995 to 2002, by Sue Wolfe from 2003 to 2009, by Nancy Boerner from 2010 to 2017, and is now coordinated by Kathy Thomas.