Yamaha Education News

Westminster, Yamaha & Classic FM Award their 2009 Jazz Scholars

Pictured here: Three of the six winners of the 2009 Yamaha-Classic FM Jazz Scholarships, performing for an audience of UK parliamentarians and jazz VIPs at Portcullis House, annexe to the houses of parliament, on 1 July 2009

Yamaha and Classic FM, in association with Jazzwise magazine, presented their annual jazz scholarships for a third year, at 'Summer Jazz In Portcullis House', an event hosted on 1 July 2009 by the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) and PPL.

The scholarship programme provdes financial assistance, performance and recording opportunities to a new generation of young jazz musicians, who are nominated each year for special consideration by the heads of jazz at six of the UK's leading conservatoires. The annual scheme is designed to support young, emerging jazz musicians by providing valuable funding and important marketing support through performance and recording opportunities.

This year the six jazz scholars to benefit from the scheme are Alex Munk (guitar) Leeds College of Music; Daoud Merchant (drums) Guildhall School of Music & Drama; Gethin Jones (drums), Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama; Kit Downes (piano), Royal Academy of Music; Mark Perry (trumpet), Trinity College of Music and Sam Wooster (trumpet) Birmingham Conservatoire.

APPJAG chair, Michael Connarty MP, compered the evening while award-winning jazz broadcaster, Helen Mayhew introduced Yamaha's education manager, Bill C Martin, who gave a brief overview of the company's growing involvement in jazz and jazz education, delighting the audience with the announcement of the publication of his interim report on the first phase of the Yamaha Jazz Experience improvising education project, with a short video compilation from the initial teacher workshops now available on line.

Darren Henley, managing director of Classic FM, and Mike Ketley, Yamaha Music UK's senior director, presented each of the scholars with a scholarship certificate and a cheque for £1000, to help set themselves up as they embark on their new musical careers.

Guests at the event included members of parliament from both Houses who are interested in jazz, along with invitees from the jazz community, press and venue operators. In addition to the £1000 scholarship and unique platform of a performance at the Palace of Westminster, all six scholarship award winners will have the opportunity to feature alongside some of Yamaha's most highly respected and established jazz artists on 'The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2009' promotional CD, sponsored by Yamaha Music UK, to be recorded and cover-mounted on Jazzwise magazine's Xmas and New Year double issue, with the chance to perform live at the CD launch at London's internationally renowned 606 Jazz Club on 25 November 2009. Last year's acclaimed 'Yamaha New Jazz Sessions' CD, produced by Andy Ross at Astar Studios, included tracks by Julian Joseph, Gwilym Simcock and Jason Rebello and, with 15,000 copies circulated, amounted to one of the most significant jazz albums of the year.

Yamaha's Senior Director Mike Ketley commented, "These innovative scholarships have further extended our relationship with Classic FM, Jazzwise and the all-party parliamentary group. We are committed to 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 the recording opportunity that features them alongside major artists in the jazz world on the cover of the UK's biggest selling jazz magazine."

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(posted July 2009)