Kiewit-Wang Mentorship Award:

Each year, the Kiewit-Wang Mentorship Award honors a select group of high school jazz musicians who demonstrate exceptional promise, dedication, and musical growth. Awardees receive ten free private lessons with a professional jazz musician of their choice, creating a deeply personal learning experience rooted in trust, artistry, and tradition.

Since the program began, more than 30 student artists have trained with some of Chicago’s most acclaimed musicians, including Ari Brown, Nicole Mitchell, Junius Paul, Bethany Pickens, and Bobby Broom. This award represents more than lessons — it’s about passing the torch.

At the Jazz Institute of Chicago, we believe mentorship isn’t a side offering — it’s the heartbeat of jazz. That belief lives at the center of the Kiewit-Wang Mentorship Award.

Open to Chicago-area students in grades 8–11 at the time of application

Applications and auditions required (held in the spring)

Recipients must be or become members of the Jazz Links Student Council for the academic year of the award

2026 AUDITIONS DATE AND LOCATION: TBA