Rising Surrey jazz stars to perform at Fort Langley fest in July
Two young musicians from Surrey will take the Youth & Emerging Artist Stage at the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival, each earning $1,000 scholarships.
Two of the brightest young musicians in the region will get their moment on stage at the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival this summer.
Bea Lagrisola, post-secondary award winner, and Rowan Cyr, high school winner, have been named this year's Rising Jazz Stars—an annual honour that recognizes exceptional talent and dedication in the next generation of jazz.
Lagrisola, a bandleader, composer, arranger, and performer known for experimental jazz, is a University of Toronto student who has played alto saxophone with Vancouver Symphony School of Music Jazz Orchestra at Pyatt Hall and the Vancouver Playhouse. She'll perform Saturday, July 25 at 2 p.m. As an added prize, she'll share the closing concert stage with Grammy-nominated jazz singer and pianist Laila Biali on Sunday, July 26.
Rowan, 17, is a student at Elgin Park Secondary in South Surrey. A singer-songwriter who began busking at eight years old with a ukulele, she saved enough money to buy her first acoustic guitar. She'll perform Sunday, July 26 at 1 p.m.
"Opportunities like this are incredibly meaningful," Rowan said. "I'm grateful to be recognized alongside such talented musicians, and I'm really looking forward to performing and sharing my work with a wider audience."
Lagrisola echoed the sentiment: "It means a lot to me to be able to share my music in a space filled with such inspiring artists and enthusiastic listeners."
Each award comes with a $1,000 scholarship from the Fort Langley Community Improvement Society and Langley Heritage Society.
The festival runs July 23 to 26, with two free days on July 25 and 26 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and select ticketed performances throughout. The weekend kicks off with the popular Mardi Gras Strolling Parade Saturday morning at 9 a.m., starting from Fort Langley Farmers Market and moving to the Community Hall with a traditional New Orleans-style jazz band.
More details are available at fortlangleyjazzfest.com.
This is the kind of moment that launches careers.