Dear Friends of Jazz Supporters,
Jazz programming and scholarship at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has had another incredible year! As a support group of UCLA, we believe it is important to promote jazz within the community. In that vein, Friends of Jazz at UCLA strives to support jazz students and welcome compelling and exciting jazz musicians to our salons and performances. I am pleased to share that this year we did just that!
Last academic year, Friends of Jazz at UCLA enthusiastically supported the future of jazz by providing academic scholarships to six undergraduate students at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. We believe that providing crucial financial support to UCLA jazz students is an essential component of ensuring that jazz continues to thrive. These scholarships provide opportunities for talented students to study jazz at a top-tier university. In the words of 2018/19 Friends of Jazz scholarship recipient Juan Gonzalez:
“Being a first-generation college student and coming from a single-family home was challenging in its own right, but the Friends of Jazz at UCLA Scholarship provided me with crucial assistance so that I could dedicate more time to my craft and reach my full potential. I hope Friends of Jazz at UCLA continues to provide scholarships so students like me have every opportunity to succeed in their music endeavors.”
For this upcoming 2019/20 school year, we have identified undergraduate students with exceptional promise to be the recipients of our scholarship. We hope you will contribute to support this important goal.
With the help of donor support, we have also been able to present outstanding jazz programming. In the last few months, Friends of Jazz at UCLA hosted a piano salon with renowned jazz pianist Eric Reed at UCLA followed by a vibrant Q& A led by Professor Robin D.J. Kelley. We were also able to welcome distinguished tenor saxophone player Benny Golson for a masterclass with UCLA’s jazz performance students. Afterward, we hosted a reception for Benny, students and faculty. Additionally, Friends of Jazz at UCLA honored Black History Month with Meet Harriet Tubman: Gospel Music’s Influence on the Evolution of Jazz.
Our work could not be done without friends like you!
We plan to continue our tradition of presenting incredible performers and supporting extraordinary students in this new school year. We hope that in this spirit, you will consider making a fully tax-deductible gift to Friends of Jazz at UCLA.
To demonstrate my own commitment to Friends of Jazz at UCLA and show gratitude for your support, this year I will personally match the total donations made up to $2,500.
To contribute to the future of jazz, please click here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Assistant Director of Development, Rory O’Toole via phone 310-825-4238 or email.
Thank you for your continued support,
Gloria Turner
President
Friends of Jazz Board of Directors
