The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music announced this year’s recipients of its annual Jazz Leaders Fellowship.
BKCM said that it has selected Melanie Charles and Olithea Anglin from a competitive pool of applicants for the 2023-2024 program.
Now in its third year, the Jazz Leaders Fellowship is a fellowship program that provides Black women and Black non-binary jazz musicians with resources to further develop their craft and pursue projects that advance their careers, according to a release.
As part of being selected, both Charles and Anglin will receive a $12,500 award, along with getting the opportunity to work with BKCM students and faculty.
“It is a true honor. As a BKCM alumna, the opportunity to share my perspective with BKCM students while being supported as an artist at this stage in my career is a blessing and a precious opportunity,” said Charles. “As the music world shifts, I think empowering ourselves with the skills and tools to navigate the new terrain is crucial. My dreams as a vocalist, musician and producer are to bridge the gap between Black American music/Jazz and the youth to assure its constant preservation and evolution.”
The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music established the Jazz Leadership Fellowship back in 2021 in an effort to support emerging jazz musicians, increase the representation of Black women and Black non-binary jazz musicians in the field, expand BKCM’s presence in the jazz community, as well as exposing BKCM’s pupils to diverse emerging teachers, according to a release.
The yearly program was developed by the Jazz Leaders Fellowship Committee, led by JLF Committee Chair Fay Victor.
“I welcome Olithea and Melanie to the BKCM family and I am excited to see how they both integrate their amazing practices with the expanding BKCM community, which includes and holds past JLF recipients as well,” said Victor.
Charles and Anglin will be welcomed to their new roles at an upcoming cocktail reception, which will be held at the BKCM Garden on July 20, 2023.
To learn more about the Jazz Leaders Fellowship, head over to the BKCM website.
