Local Musicians of Tomorrow at Ottawa Jazz

Stingray Music and the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival is proud to revive the annual Jazz Youth Summit Rising Stars Program, highlighting some of the most talented young Canadian jazz musicians from the Ottawa area. Each year the Festival handpicks a group of young aspiring jazz musicians to take part in creative workshops with well-known visiting jazz musicians and educators. This opportunity provides the musicians with a forum to expand their talents while engaging with internationally acclaimed musicians. Musical opportunities without sponsorship, makes this kind of experience very challenging. All participants of the Jazz Youth Summit attend various workshops. This year,  significant artists such as Joel Frahm, Tim Berne, John Hollenbeck, Aurora Nealand and Michael Winograd worked up close and personal with the students. Their experience will culminate with a live show on the OLG Stage at Marion Dewar Plaza on Canada Day, July 1 at 12pm noon. Stingray Music is bestowing four achievement awards. A committee of local Ottawa musicians, including the Festival’s Programming Manager, Petr Cancura, will choose winners based on artistic merit. Prizes include: a first-place prize of $2000, a second-place prize of $1000 and two third-place prizes of $500. “We know that some of the greatest talent out there is found in our own backyard. That is why we created the Stingray Rising Stars Program,” explains Mathieu Péloquin, Stingray’s Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Communications, “Launched in 1998 this program sets out to discover, encourage, promote and champion new up-and-coming Canadian artists. To that end, Stingray Music has partnered with numerous industry organizations and regional festivals to offer cash awards and provide showcase opportunities to great new Canadian talent of all genres.”