Guest trombonist Ray Anderson (third from left) performs
with VCU students Ryan Hughitt, Trey Pollard, Mark
Ingraham, Jason Gay and Sam Savage in April 2003.
Jazz Students Fund
The Jazz Students Fund began with a generous gift from Jamey Aebersold, founder of Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc., that produces the world-renowned Aebersold Play-Along recordings.
The fund helps advance the careers of future jazz musicians by providing scholarships, equipment and travel funding for students and ensembles and covers fees associated with visiting artists.
Jazz Studies Student Grant
The VCU Jazz Studies Student Grant program has been established to encourage original research or creative work under the close supervision of a faculty member. The project may be undertaken as an independent study or honors seminar or could be pursued independently, but requires a faculty sponsor. All degree-seeking Jazz Studies students at VCU are eligible.
“Our students can go down the street and try out what they’ve gotten in the classroom. Not many cities can offer that to music students.”
— Jazz Studies Director Antonio García, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Applications may be submitted at any time during the year; however, primary attention will be given to those submitted by Oct. 1 and Feb. 1 of a given semester. Allow lead-time for such involved projects as summer travel, for which an application in the fall semester may be advisable. Your application will be reviewed as speedily as possible. Please note that no application is approved until stated so by the director of Jazz Studies.
Students receiving grants are required to sign funding forms in advance of their travel and submit to the director of Jazz Studies a final report on their completed project along with their eligible receipts in order to receive reimbursements.
To apply, download a copy of the application form [Word document] and follow the attached instructions.
Grant recipients
The first two students to apply for the VCU Jazz Studies Student Grant received financial support to attend the International Association for Jazz Education Conference in New York City in January 2006. Guitarist Aaron Kunk and saxophonist David Hood made the trip for three days of non-stop jazz.
Student vocalist Fran Ahern
Kunk particularly enjoyed concerts or clinics by Ravi Coltrane, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Chris Potter and Ed Neumeister. Hood attended some of the same, as well as Kenny Werner, Gil Goldstein, Jim McNeely, Robert Glasper, Stefon Harris, Vijay Iyer and a workshop by VCU alumnus Steve Wilson. Both students enjoyed the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band with Jon Faddis, the Count Basie Orchestra, National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters Chick Corea, Jimmy Heath and Slide Hampton, many university jazz ensembles and clinicians, and much more.
“I took an incredible amount away from this experience, including notes,” said Hood.
“The conference was an extraordinary experience,” said Kunk.
Make a Gift
We hope that you will sustain the jazz student grants by making a gift to the VCU Jazz Students Fund.
Your gift now at any of the following levels will be of great assistance:
- Jazz Orchestra ($1,000+)
- Big Band ($500-$999)
- Quartet ($250-$499)
- Duo ($100-$249)
- Soloist ($1-$99)
Please make checks payable to the “VCU Jazz Students Fund” and send to:
Antonio García
VCU Music
P.O. Box 842004
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2004
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Prof García.
