This year's jazz scholars to benefit from the scheme received their awards at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group's annual 'Summer Jazz' event in association with music licensing company PPL on Thursday 17 July at Portcullis House, Westminster.
The 2014 Yamaha Jazz Scholars had the opportunity to perform their own compositions live in front of an audience of Members of Parliament and esteemed delegates from the UK jazz world and music industry. On the evening, there was also a special guest performance from acclaimed jazz composer and clarinettist Arun Ghosh.
Internationally renowned keyboardist and jazz educator Darius Brubeck and Peter Ross representing Yamaha, presented scholarships to Ed Haine, a tenor saxophonist studying at Birmingham Conservatoire; Ashley Henry who studies piano at Leeds College of Music; double bassist Mark Lewandowski, a student at Guildhall School of Music and Drama; trumpeter Tom Dennis from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance; alto saxophonist Dan Smith from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; Utsav Lal, a piano student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and drummer Scott Chapman from the Royal Academy of Music.
All scholarship winners who are about to leave college each received a £1000 voucher to put towards instruments and equipment at Yamaha Music London as they embark on their professional music careers. They will also each receive the opportunity to record an original track on 'The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2014' promotional download to be released in December in association with Jazzwise.
Charles Bozon, director of Yamaha's Classic Division commented, "These innovative scholarships have further extended our relationship with PPL and the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group. The promotion of Jazz Performance and these scholarships complement our many other music education and student support initiatives. What better way to support the studies and showcase the talent of the UK's finest upcoming young Jazz musicians than through financial assistance, live performance and a recording opportunity."
(Jim Evans)
