The Rio Grande Jazz Society

Awards Program

Each year, the Rio Grande Jazz Society awards $500 to high-school seniors who have shown promise as jazz performers and who intend to enroll in college the following fall. These are awarded competitively, and winners get to play at the May meeting of the Society. The number of awards varies from year to year, depending upon the success of our monthly raffles and the number of individual donations to our awards fund.

Competitors submit a tape or CD of their best work. A panel of musicians from the Society then select the winners. It's like American Idol, but the stakes are smaller.

If you are a high school junior or senior and wish to be considered for an award, please contact our awards chairman.

2010 Award Winner Stephen Lanza, Eldorado High
2010 Award Winner Joe Schripsema, Eldorado High (trombone), with Daniel Villanueva, Albuquerque High (sax)