Jazz Fellowship

Deadline to Apply: Friday, February 2, 2024

Luminarts Jazz Fellowships are $10,000 per artist. The Jazz Fellowship Competition awards three (3) $10,000 Luminarts Fellowships to jazz musicians through the performance of original, creative, and spontaneously improvised jazz music. Jazz finalists will receive a $500 honorable mention award. The competition includes a two-tiered jury process, with recorded preliminary auditions hosted through an online application process and the finals live. Of the Jazz Fellowship applicants, finalists will be selected to perform live for the final round of judging at the Jazz Finals hosted on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 from 4:30-7pm at Jazz Showcase. 

 

Luminarts is committed to ensuring equity within its programs and welcomes applicants, artists, audience members, and supporters regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, class, religion, sexual orientation, or citizenship status.

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 2, 2024 11:59 p.m. CST.

 

***Please note that audition schedules and selection processes are subject to change.***

 

Eligibility Requirements

 

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements: 

 

· Be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old on the date of applying

· Be currently enrolled in, or have completed, a degree program, conservatory, or other professional artist development program (not necessarily specific to the program for which you are applying)

· Live in IL, IN, MI or WI

· Be available to perform in-person on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at Jazz Showcase

 

While applicants may reapply to the Luminarts Fellowship annually, they are only eligible to receive the Fellowship award once. However, once an individual has been designated a Luminarts Fellow they are eligible to apply for Fellow Project Grants through the Foundation. For Project Grant information, please visit our Artist Opportunities page.

 

For questions about eligibility or more information about the Fellowship visit our FAQs page or contact Luminarts at info@luminarts.org or (312) 435-5961,

 

 

Submission and Preliminary Audition Guidelines

 

There are four (4) components that must be attached to your initial application before auditioning:

 

· Two (2) audio samples and one (1) video sample;

· A career statement outlining what your career objectives are as an artist, how becoming a Luminarts Fellow would help support those objectives, and how you envision your art/career impacting the greater Chicago community;

· The name, contact information, and relationship to one (1) professional or educational reference; and

· CV/ Resume.

 

Read below for specific details about each of these components.

 

Audio/Video Sample:

 

Applicants must attach two (2) audio samples and one (1) video sample with the application (three (3) total music samples). You may record an audio clip using a recorder on a mobile device or other recording equipment. Your recordings will be used for judging purposes. Please do not attach recordings over ten (10) minutes long.

Please record a selection of your choice of the audition repertoire listed below and upload these recordings to your application. Recordings that feature accompanists are preferred. Recordings with play-along recordings are also acceptable. Ensemble recordings that include the applicant as a soloist may also be used but must be edited down to include only the applicant’s solo sections. In addition:

 

· Applicants will submit three contrasting pieces: (1) medium tempo blues, (1) up-tempo standard tune, and (1) ballad. Each of these pieces should be in different keys. While we request individual submissions be under ten (10) minutes, it’s perfectly acceptable and even preferred to upload clips that are each between three to five (3-5) minutes long.

o For the three contrasting pieces, different styles are encouraged.  While the above tempos are recommended, something down tempo, something medium and something up, and one of them must be a blues, we understand that those tempos do not always apply for different arrangements. Contrast in style and tempo are recommended, but ultimately up to the applicant as to how they want to showcase there playing ability.

· Please limit file size to 50 MB or less and length to less than ten (10) minutes per audio/video submission. While some of the repertoire requirements are longer than ten (10) minutes, we ask that you use your best judgement on what portions of the requirements to submit.

· YouTube link or file uploads are allowed.

· File name should be the title of the piece.

· Files and images may not include your name or other personal information.

· Please provide the highest quality recordings possible and note a variety of selections within the guidelines is preferred. 

· All submission should be unedited.

· Please save all recordings and videos in the event we need you to resubmit any of the materials.

Applicants will be judged by the originality and creativity of their spontaneous improvisation. Applicants should demonstrate knowledge and respect for the melody, and accuracy of improvising chord changes.

 

For Prescreening recording the below is recommended:

· Trumpet, saxophone, and trombone players will perform with piano (or guitar), bass, and drums.

· Guitarists will perform with bass and drums.

· Pianists will perform with bass and drums.

· Bassists will perform with piano (or guitar) and drums.

· Drummers will perform with piano (or guitar) and bass.

 

 

Career Statement:

 

Your career statement should outline what your career objectives are as an artist, how becoming a Luminarts Fellow would help support those objectives, and how you envision your art/career impacting the greater Chicago community. Your statement may not exceed 500 words in total.

 

 

Professional/Educational Reference:

 

Space will be provided on the application to include the name, contact information, and relationship to one (1) professional or educational reference. Note that references may not be contacted as part of this process.

 

After Submitting Your Application

 

Once you submit your application you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email immediately after submitting your application, please check your spam/junk filter and settings. If you still have not received a confirmation email immediately after submitting your application, please contact the Foundation.

 

Applicants will be notified by Wednesday, February 14, 2024, as to whether they have been selected as a Luminarts Jazz Finalist.

 

Jazz Finals and Audition Guidelines:

 

The Jazz Finals will be hosted in Chicago on Wednesday, February 21, 2024 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. After that event, three (3) of the finalists will be selected as Jazz Fellows. If you are selected as a finalist, applicants will be judged on their knowledge and execution of standard jazz practices. The melodies and chord changes should be memorized. Appropriate rhythmic hits, chord voicings, melodic embellishments, and other stylistic devices should be used. The judges will be assessing you on your sound, feel, articulation, phrasing, interactivity, pitch, rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary, and command of the jazz tradition.

 

Applicants will also be judged on the originality and creativity of their performance. The judges are looking for your unique musical “voice.” This can take many forms, but it probably involves your own personal approach to improvising over standard rhythmic and harmonic progressions, your unique way of phrasing and articulating your ideas, and your selections of repertoire that are meaningful to you.

In addition:

 

· Applicants will be given a ten (10) minute time slot 

· Applicants select two contrasting selections of their choice

· Applicants will be judged by the originality and creativity of their spontaneous improvisation

· A professional trio will be provided for the audition (do not bring your own accompanist);

· Applicants must bring lead sheets for the accompanist; and

· Applicants should demonstrate knowledge and respect for the melody, and accuracy of improvising chord changes