On Thursday, 3/20, the new Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society Board of Directors held the first public scholarship auditions at the weekly Fort Pierce Jazz Jam. Directors and Jazz Jam attendees were more than impressed by the talent displayed by two local students. Cory High, a senior at Vero Beach High School and Markis Hernandez, a senior at St. Lucie West High School were both awarded $1000.00 scholarships by the organization.

High and Hernandez far exceeded the scholarship application requirements. Cory High, a drummer at Vero Beach High School, under the direction of Page Howell, has a GPA of 3.7 and has been accepted to the University of Florida, where he plans to major in Music Education. Markis Hernandez, a saxophone player at St. Lucie West High School, under the direction of John Carpenter, has a GPA of 4.0 and has been accepted to the University of North Florida, where he plans to major in Jazz Studies. Congratulations go out to Cory and Markis, the next generation of Jazz Musicians.For additional information please contact Katie Hill, FPJ&BS President, at 772-460-JAZZ(5299) or email info@jazzandbluessociety.org.

The Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society is back, better and stronger than ever!
After Interim President Chris Dzadovsky's heartfelt request of members and the community for help, the February 21 Membership Meeting had an excellent attendance; for the first time in several years the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society seated a full board of directors and a full set of officers. Please join the FPJ&BS in welcoming their 2008 Officers and Board of Directors.

Katie Hill, President, Gail Forrester, Vice President, Anita Palma-Sperry, Secretary, Pat Price, Treasurer; Directors in alphabetic order: Bill Claren, Randy Bennett, Irv Freedman, William Genson, Jayreen Mack, Tom Omans, Nancy Richards, Robert Sagnella, Donna Stafford, Mark Townsend, and Jim Tucci.

During one of the most difficult years in the Society's 11-year history, Interim President Chris Dzadovsky and limited but very committed Board of Directors, restructured the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society to meet the challenges of a down economy and a lack of volunteer board members and officers. Dzadovsky states, "After a nine-month reorganization, the FPJ&BS is now in the best organizational structure and financial position in its history; it is in the best position to meet the future challenges of an economy in recession."

The organization is moving forward under the leadership of the new President, Katie Hill. Ms. Hill comments "I cannot express my gratitude enough for Chris, who created the structure enabling the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society to move forward. With the strong backbone I have inherited, along with Officers and a Board of Directors that are as diverse in age as interests within the spectrum of Jazz, we can get back to creating a series of programs that will serve the community, as a whole."

A native New Englander, Katie Hill grew up in a family of professional performing artists; she studied piano and voice at the Connecticut Conservatory of Arts, trained in classical ballet with the Nutmeg Conservatory, as well as attended workshops with the Faustwork Mask Theatre, Momix Dance Theatre and Pilobolus Dance Theatre, all internationally renowned companies, based in her hometown of Washington, CT. Throughout her early years she starred in various stage productions and won coveted placements in the All-Connecticut and All-Eastern regional choruses.

Despite these early successes, Hill found greater fulfillment working with performing artists out of the spotlight. She worked as stage manager for New Preston at Night!, under the direction of Cellist, Steven Katz and late choreographer, BJ Goodwin. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with dual majors in Sociology and Psychology, and in the background, Jazz from swing to be-bop was an ever-present soundtrack. Her desire to merge her passions for music and performing arts with her interest in people bought her to the Fort Pierce Jazz and Blues Society. As Vendor Coordinator for the 2008 Mardi Gras Festival, Katie successfully raised more funds for the organization than any predecessors in the position. Hill now takes on the role of President of the Fort Pierce Jazz and Blue Society with a solid work ethic and youthful energy.

For additional information call 772-460-JAZZ(5299) or email info@jazzandbluessociety.org.

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