Gold Coast Jazz Society -Official Blog

On April 25, the Gold Coast Jazz Society hosted the 13th annual Jeanette M. Russell Jazz Scholarship Competition at the Dillard High School's Center for the Arts. Thirty-three students were selected to receive a jazz scholarship award based upon financial need and artistic ability. Students must be currently studying jazz at their middle or high school grade level or are a currently enrolled or enrolling student majoring in music and jazz at an accredited college or university.

The following students were selected to receive a Jeanette M. Russell scholarship or a Robert G. Friedman jazz scholarship for college tuition assistance. Student awardees include Joshua Bermudez, Guitar, New World School of the Arts; Matthew Falgowski, Piano, University of North Florida; Christopher Garriga, Drums, Miami-Dade College; Kelly Gonzalez, Trumpet, Florida International University; Ricardo Guerra, Drums, New World School of the Arts; Sydney Henry, Drums, Dillard Center for the Arts; Cristian Hernandez, Bass, New World School of the Arts; Markus Howell, Sax, Michigan State University; Alexander Larionova, Trombone, New World School of the Arts; Zachary McKinney, Drums, Michigan State University; Joel Perez, Trombone, Broward College; Jake Ricke, Bass, Florida State University; Franchesca Romeo, Piano, Michigan State University; Tashi Shaw, Trombone, Dillard Center for the Arts; and Ben Stocker, Sax, Michigan State University.

The students listed below were selected to receive a jazz camp scholarship this year and may attend the jazz camp of their choice. Awardees include Roberto Acosta, Piano, New World School of the Arts; Kobie Alleyne, Steel Drums, Nova Middle School; Abdias Armenteros, Saxophone, New World School of the Arts; Rachael Coleman, Saxophone, Dillard Center for the Arts; Ruben Cova, Trumpet, New World School of the Arts; Ruben Espinosa, Guitar, Dillard Center for the Arts; Tyler Goodman, Clarinet, New World School of the Arts; Nigel Hervey, Saxophone, Dillard Center for the Arts; Abeed Janjua, Bass, Dillard Center for the Arts; Zachary Mighty, Trumpet, Dillard Center for the Arts; Joseph Miller, Saxophone, New World School of the Arts; Jake Pardo, Guitar, Dillard Center for the Arts; Donovan Perry, Trumpet, Dillard Center for the Arts; Rashaan Salaam, Trombone, Dillard Center for the Arts; Matthew Stevens, Saxophone, New World School of the Arts; Henry Ulett, Piano, Dillard Center for the Arts; Victor Valdes, Drums, New World of the Arts.

Scholarship awards are provided from the estate of Jeanette Russell and a donation from the Robert G. Friedman Foundation. Both Jeanette Russell and Robert Friedman were avid jazz fans. Their love of jazz lives on through their generosity to the Society's jazz scholarship program. Since 2002, the organization has awarded over $400,000 in scholarships. The program is one of the largest jazz scholarship programs in the nation which is administered by a jazz non-profit organization.

The Gold Coast Jazz Society is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to perpetuate and advance jazz through performances, education and outreach activities. For more information about supporting the scholarship program or other activities of the Society, call 954-524-0805 or go to www.goldcoastjazz.org/scholarship.html.