Thank you for your interest. Scholarship submissions will be accepted from OCTOBER 1st, 2024 until end of day on NOVEMBER 1st, 2024. Please follow us on Instagram, @FMjazzfund and/or FraserMacPhersonJazzFund for updates.
*Submissions from Secondary School applicants will also be considered for the 2025 Vancouver Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Scholarship application
Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund Application 2024
The Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund was initiated to foster the music education of BC’s most promising young jazz instrumentalists. The secondary school scholarship is $500 and the post-secondary amount is $2000. Scholarships are awarded to instrumentalists (not vocalists) aged 25 and under (as of Dec. 31, 2024) who are residents of British Columbia. Post-secondary students are eligible for the $2000 award regardless of whether they have won the secondary school award ($500) but can only win each award once. Scholarship awards must be spent on materials or services which directly further the education of the recipient (i.e. lessons, instruments, music materials, etc.) and invoices may be required to receive funds and show the award was used appropriately. Members of the Board of the Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund and members of their immediate families are not permitted to apply.
Please provide the following via email (to fmjazzfund@gmail.com) with the subject heading:
FRASER MACPHERSON JAZZ FUND APPLICATION 2024
Please send in all required information. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not include any extra information with your application. Specifically, do not include any photos or images.
1. Name
2. Instrument
3. Birth date
4. Mailing address. You must give your COMPLETE address, including your postal code. (Recipients will not receive awards without this information.)
5. Home phone and mobile phone numbers
6. Email address
7. All applicants – name of secondary school, current or previous.
8. For post-secondary applicants, the name of the post-secondary institution if you are currently enrolled.
9. A paragraph of 250 words or fewer describing what plans you have to further your jazz studies. Include information regarding how you would use the scholarship money if you receive an award. Do not include any photos or images.
10. A recording of a performance prepared according to the following guidelines:
· Record 2 contrasting jazz standards of no more than 3 minutes each. For each piece the recording should begin with a statement of the melody, followed by one or more choruses of an improvised solo, followed by a concluding statement of the melody. Choose repertoire based on what you can play well and, where possible, minimize or edit out solos by other ensemble members. Remember, the recording is about your playing, not your accompanists. (Applicants who play drums may have another ensemble member play the melody and a solo; drummers will be accessed on their abilities as an accompanist and soloist.)
· Recordings must be uploaded to YouTube or SoundCloud and a link must be included in the body of the email. Make sure the link or links can be accessed by the judges and that they work properly. Do not attach mp3, WAV or other sound files to the email.
· Recordings must feature live accompanists. Multi-tracked or overdubbed recordings will not be accepted. A simple, but high quality recording of a live performance will suffice (Zoom H5 recorders are available at Long & McQuade for $10/day rental; cell phone recordings must be carefully managed to get clear sound). The judges must be able to hear your playing and your sound clearly. Please check your recording for balances and sound quality. Avoid distorted sounds.
· Include the names and composers of the songs you are performing.
· Include the names of all the musicians performing on the recording.
The Board of Directors will review applications shortly after the submission deadline and will notify successful finalists in mid-November. Finalists will be asked to perform at a live audition held Thursday, December 21, 2024, in Vancouver. Finalists residing in the lower mainland must be available to play this audition in person. Finalists residing outside the lower mainland (e.g. Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, etc.) are strongly encouraged to attend in person as the quality of performance and the quality of feedback from the judges will be best in a live environment. However, for those residing outside the lower mainland, we would like to extend the option to be able to submit high quality audio/video recording on the day of the live auditions with live accompaniment. Friends and family of the applicants and the general public are invited to attend, free of cost.
Email applications to Application Coordinator, Fred Stride at fmjazzfund@gmail.com with the subject heading:
FRASER MACPHERSON JAZZ FUND APPLICATION 2024
COMPLETE applications will be accepted beginning October 1st, and no later than end of day, November 1, 2024.
Any questions may be directed separately to Fred Stride at fmjazzfund@gmail.com
* FMJF uses social media to share news, updates and to announce finalists. We ask that all applicants follow us on instagram @FMjazzfund, twitter @FMjazzfund and on facebook at FraserMacPhersonJazzFund
