Vernon Jazz Society Scholarships

One of the Vernon Jazz Society’s mandates is to encourage youth in Jazz performance and appreciation.

We raise scholarship funds by selling 50/50 tickets at our gigs. This enables us to offer four (4) $500 scholarships to worthy grade 12 graduates who are involved in local school music programs. One of these scholarships is awarded to an indigenous student.

2024 Recipients

The following students each received a $500 scholarship from the VJC.

Mnason Bondt (W.L. Seaton Secondary)

Dominik Castellanos (W. L. Seaton Secondary, Aboriginal Award)

Vitery White (Vernon Senior Secondary)

Luke Hanson (Kalamalka Secondary)

2023 Recipients

2019 Bursary Recipients

2018 Bursary Recipients

2017 Bursary Recipients

2016 Bursary Recipients

2015 Bursary Recipients

2014 Bursary Recipients

2013 Bursary Recipients

2012 Bursary Recipients

2011 Bursary Recipients

The Vernon Jazz Society is pleased to announce the presentation of jazz bursaries totaling $2400 to aspiring Okanagan high school jazz musicians. “Every year we try to help young musicians as they pursue their goals,” noted Vernon Jazz Society president Brian McMahon. This year’s winners will use their awards to offset the costs of musical studies or equipment. They are:

Matt Harwood-Jones – $600 (drums, Grade 12 at W.L Seaton Secondary, entering jazz studies at Selkirk College in Nelson)
Chris Petterson – $600 (alto sax, Grade 12 at Salmon Arm Secondary, entering jazz studies at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo)
Sean Lavigne – $600 (pictured above) (trombone, Grade 12 at Kalamalka Secondary, entering jazz studies at Capilano University in North Vancouver)
Blago Hristovski – $400 (bari sax, Grade 10 at Kelowna Secondary, enrolled in summer jazz camp in Kelowna and bought a mouthpiece.
Ilyja Hristovski – $200 (trumpet, Grade 9 at Dr. Knox Middle School, enrolled in summer jazz camp in Kelowna)

“The Vernon Jazz Society gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our patrons who contributed to the bursary fund, as well as major donations from the Vernon Teachers’ Association, the Vernon Community Singers, and Kalamalka Rotary!”

2010 Bursary Recipients

The Vernon Jazz Society is pleased to announce the presentation of jazz bursaries totaling $2000 to aspiring Okanagan high school jazz musicians. “Part of our mandate is to encourage the jazz musicians of the future,” noted Vernon Jazz Society president Brian McMahon. This year’s winners will use their awards to offset the costs of musical studies or equipment. They are:

Tim Hirtz – $800 (piano, Grade 12 at Mt. Boucherie Secondary, accepted into jazz studies at McGill University in Montreal)
Carl Ross – $600 (alto sax, Grade 11 at Kalamalka Secondary)
Stefan Raupach – $300 (guitar, Grade 12 at Kalamalka Secondary)
Daniel Favell – $300 (guitar, Grade 12 at Kalamalka Secondary)

“We hope to have the bursary winners perform at the club in the fall, and we will advertise the dates once arrangements are made,” said McMahon. “We also gratefully acknowledge the generosity of our patrons who contributed to the scholarship fund, as well as major donations from the Vernon Community Singers and Kalamalka Rotary!”

2003 Bursary Recipients