15th Annual May 20 - 22, 2010

To commemorate in 2010 the 100th anniversary of Mary Lou Williams’s birth, the Kennedy Center has created the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artist Workshop. The workshop, May 20–22, provides female jazz artists ages 18 to 35 with an opportunity to explore and develop their artistry under the guidance of leading jazz artists and instructors. Each year, the workshop will focus on a specific instrument. For 2010, the focal instrument is the piano. The workshop culminates in a public performance by workshop participants on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage during the 15th Annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival.

Mary Lou Williams was dubbed “the Lady who swings the band.” Her music reflects the history of jazz while, at the same time, moving it forward. This three-day intensive, dedicated to the spirit and style of Mary Lou Williams, provides instruction, insight, and tools rooted in the foundations of jazz: swing, melody, and harmony. The faculty is drawn from the artists present during the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival along with other members of the jazz community. The workshop nurtures artistic vision, cultivates the artist’s ability to communicate and connect with audiences, and builds a network of friends and colleagues.

2010 Guidelines

Eligibility

The 2010 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artist Workshop is open to advanced female jazz pianists who plan to pursue jazz performance as a career. Eligibility is exclusive to pianists who will be 18–35 years old on May 20, 2010 and have never recorded or been contracted to record as a leader or co-leader on a major label at the time of selection. Participation in the 2010 inaugural session of the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Workshop is by invitation only.

Workshop Details

The five applicants selected to participate in this program will be notified by March 29, 2010. The Kennedy Center will provide travel to and from Washington, DC; a per diem to cover meal expenses; lodging at a local hotel for all participants; and tickets to each night of the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. International participants are responsible for acquiring a valid visa to enter the United States. There are no tuition or housing fees incurred by those selected for the program. Workshop participants will be required to sign an Artist Agreement with the Kennedy Center that will include: possible release of a recording; permission to broadcast image and music over the internet; insurance coverage; and financial arrangements for the per diem. Participants must be available for the duration of the workshop, including evenings, and are expected to attend all workshop sessions and concerts.