The Jazz Fellowship awards four $7,500 Luminarts Fellowships to jazz musicians through the performance of original, creative, and spontaneously improvised jazz music. The competition includes a two-tiered jury process, with preliminary auditions held at the Union League Club of Chicago, and final round auditions held during the 2019 Jazz Finals at Buddy Guy’s Legends.
Applicants will compete in one of two categories, ages 18-24 and ages 25-30. In conjunction with the Jazz Fellowship Luminarts also awards high school jazz musicians through the High School Jazz Program. If you are in high school you may apply to the high school program HERE. For the Jazz Fellowship continue reading below.
For the Jazz Fellowship there will be four finalists selected between the ages of 18 and 24 and four finalists selected between the ages of 25 and 30 who will advance to the final round of judging and perform live at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago on Thursday, March 7, 2019. Each finalist performs with a professional jazz trio, and four winners are selected based on their improvisation skills during the event. An award is also awarded for People’s Choice. The Deadline to Apply to the 2019 Jazz Fellowship is Friday, February 8, 2019.
Looking for the High School Jazz Program? Click HERE for more information.