Thankyou for your interest in applying for the Clarence Jazz Festival 2026 Scholarship! Before you fill out this form, please take a moment to read the following information.
What is the scholarship all about?
The Clarence Jazz Festival scholarship is an opportunity for young jazz musicians to engage in a range of activities designed to enhance their performance and collaborative skills and to progress their music careers to the next level.
In 2026 Clarence Jazz Festival Scholars will receive:
- 2 X masterclasses with the 2026 Clarence Jazz Festival Ambassador (To be announced shortly - as per usual this one's going to be seriously cool).
- 5 X one-on-one tuition sessions with a local jazz legend of your choosing.
- 4 X intensive group workshops with jazz masters, developing skills in bandleading, performance and collaboration.
- 3 X Rhythm section sessions to develop your jazz festival performances.
Feature performances at Clarence Swinging Christmas @ Rosny Farm (December 6th, 2025), Clarence Jazz Festival Opening event, Mainstage performance at the CJF Big Day and the Clarence Jazz Festival Closing Event.
Opportunities to jam and collaborate with UTAS jazz students, your fellow scholars and other local and interstate artists across the jazz festival.
- 2 X VIP passes to the entire Clarence Jazz Festival program.
- Mentorship from Katy Raucher and Clarence Arts and Events Staff, developing skills in stagecraft, improvisation techniques and network building.
Previous scholars have gone on to forge extremely successful international and national careers in music, but we want to emphasise that non-successful applicants have also done so. We encourage you to apply; even if you're unsuccessful this time there is enourmous value in going through this process, and we will be available to offer feedback.
Application process
2026 marks the 30th year that the Clarence City Council has produced the Clarence Jazz Festival, and the 16th year that it has supported the development of the next generation of musical talent through the Scholarship program.
The selection process for the scholarship takes place in 2 stages.
Stage 1 is this application. In this application you'll be asked to provide a video of you performing up to 5 minutes of music, along with answering a few questions about yourself and your interest in jazz.
Stage 2: If you are successful in Stage 1 you will be invited to audition with a live rhythm section of professional musicians at the UTAS Hedburg Centre in front of a panel of Clarence Arts and Events staff and UTAS music faculty. This audition will take place between Monday the 18th August - Wednesday 20th August. You will be allocated a 25 minute window between 1pm and 4pm. If you are unable to attend this second round audition during the time frame please indicate this in your application and we'll endeavor to find a suitable replacement time.
Important dates
24th June 2025: EOIs open
25th July 2025: EOIs close
31st July 2025: Round 1 successful applicants notified
18th August – 20th August 2025: Round 2 auditions
22nd August 2025: Scholars selected and notified
26th August – 28th August 2025: Media announcement (radio interview/ TV news + Newspaper) and first workshop
1st September – 6th December 2025: Season one of Scholarship
6th December 2025: Performance @ Swinging Christmas @ Rosny Farm
19th January – 22nd February 2026: Season two of Scholarship
19th February – 22nd February 2026: Clarence Jazz Festival 2026!
What if I live outside of Nipaluna (Hobart)?
We encourage applications from music students across the island of Lutruwita (Tasmania). If you live more than one hour outside of Nipaluna (Hobart) we are pleased to offer scheduling support + financial assistance to cover travel expenses and accommodation costs for you and a parent/ guardian for key masterclasses, rehearsals and performances. Applicants based outside Nipaluna (Hobart) will be able to audition remotely for their second-round audition.
Am I eligible to apply?
To be eligible to apply you must:
- Be between 15 and 21 years of age and actively studying music (either at a high school, college or university level). Whilst grade 11 and 12 students tend to get the most advantage from the scholarship, we invite all applicants between this age range to apply!
- Be available from the 20th-23rd February 2025 for Jazz Festival appearances. All other dates are negotiable with Clarence Arts and Events Staff.
- Be prepared to use email as the primary method of communication.
- Be punctual and organised for all masterclasses, sessions, rehearsals and performances.
- Be available for media appearances where sufficient notice is given.
- Liaise with your tutors and mentor to find mutually suitable times and dates for your tuition sessions.
Selection criteria
Successful applicants should address the following criteria in their application:
Musicianship: The applicant demonstrates a high level of musicianship, technical facility and jazz language for their stage of musical development. The applicant has a foundational understanding of improvisation within a jazz context.
Interest in jazz: The applicant demonstrates an interest in the stylistic, cultural, historical and social contexts of jazz music.
Collaborative ability: The applicant demonstrates a reasonable level of ability to play with others, or demonstrates willingness to develop this skill.
Benefit to applicant: The applicant demonstrates a reasonable intention and interest in pursuing further musical development beyond the lifetime of the scholarship. The applicant demonstrates an awareness of what they’d like to achieve from the scholarship opportunity. The applicant’s expectation matches what the scholarship offers.
If you've got any questions, or require help with any part of this application, please get in touch with Stevie or Bek on 6217 9620 during business hours.
Good luck with your application- we can't wait to hear from you!