Pittsburgh Jazz Society Accepting Applications for First-Ever PJS/Mellon Jazz Scholarship

Pittsburgh Jazz Society Accepting Applications for First-Ever PJS/Mellon Jazz Scholarship

PITTSBURGH, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Mellon Financial Corporation and the Pittsburgh Jazz Society today announced that applications are being accepted for the inaugural Pittsburgh Jazz Society/Mellon Jazz Scholarship. The winner of this one-year, $5,000 award will be announced in June, and the scholarship will be presented on Friday, August 19, prior to the Mellon Jazz at South Park concert being staged as part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert series.

The recipient of this year's first-ever Pittsburgh Jazz Society/Mellon Jazz Scholarship will be selected by a panel of nationally recognized jazz musicians and educators on the basis of musical interest and ability as demonstrated by an application and audition tape that includes samplings of various musical styles. Any new or continuing undergraduate student enrolled full-time at any four-year college or university in the United States during the fall 2005 semester is eligible to apply. The scholarship will be evenly divided between the Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 terms.

Applications for the Pittsburgh Jazz Society/Mellon Jazz scholarship must be submitted by Wednesday, June 1, 2005. For more information or to obtain an application, call the Pittsburgh Jazz Society at (412) 343-9555 or visit the Jazz Society's Web site at http://www.pittsburghjazz.org/ .

"The Pittsburgh Jazz Society does an outstanding job integrating jazz education into an overall program that provides young artists with terrific performance opportunities and gives local audiences access to great live jazz performances on a year-round basis. We're delighted and honored to have Mellon Jazz appear alongside the Pittsburgh Jazz Society on the name of this new scholarship," said Rose M. Gabbianelli, Mellon executive vice president and director of corporate affairs.

"Jazz scholarships have always been an important part of our mission, and with Mellon Jazz Sundays being such an important part of our year-round jazz concert series, awarding the Pittsburgh Jazz Society/Mellon Jazz Scholarship will be a great way to reinforce the connection between jazz scholarship and on-stage jazz artistry," said Tony Mowod, founder and president of the Pittsburgh Jazz Society.

A non profit 501(c)(3) all-volunteer organization, The Pittsburgh Jazz Society is dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and perpetuation of all jazz through education, performance, partnering and community outreach for members and the general public. Mellon Financial Corporation's year-round celebration of jazz excellence, Mellon Jazz supports non-profit organizations engaged in live jazz performances and jazz education, and recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to each city's rich jazz tradition. More information on Mellon Jazz activities is available via the Mellon Jazz link at http://www.mellon.com/ . Both the Pittsburgh Jazz Society and Mellon Jazz are celebrating 19th anniversaries of support for jazz in the Pittsburgh area this year.

Source: Mellon Financial Corporation; Pittsburgh Jazz Society

CONTACT: Ron Sommer of Mellon Financial Corporation, +1-412-236-0082, or sommer.rw@mellon.com ; or Tony Mowod of Pittsburgh Jazz Society, +1-412-343-9555, or mowod@pittsburghjazz.org

Web site: http://www.mellon.com/ http://www.pittsburghjazz.org/

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