Fraser MacPherson was an important mentor for me in my early days of getting into jazz. Starting in about grade 11, I followed him and Oliver Gannon around to every gig that I could get to and pestered them incessantly about tunes, chord changes, improvising, and life in general. Since shortly after Fraser's death in 1993, the Fraser MacPherson Scholarship Fund has been helping young musicians pursue their musical dreams. In the past few years, finding funding for the scholarship has become more and more challenging. Many board members who have served well for long periods of time are now retiring or are otherwise unable to continue as directors of the fund. In order for the important work of the Fund to continue, we need new board members and directors who have the interest and energy to raise funds and manage the activities of the organization.
This is an open call to solicit support and interest from the Vancouver musical community. The qualifications we are looking for are a passion for jazz music and music education and a desire to volunteer your time to help young musicians. If you are interested in vounteering some of your time to support this worthwhile cause by getting involved with the Fraser MacPherson Scholarship Board please contact President Fred Stride at stride AT mail.ubc.ca or simply add a comment on this blog posting including your contact info.
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