Congratulations to the 2026 Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship Award Recipient from the Litchfield Jazz Camp: Samantha Ilewicz.

Congratulation to our 2026 Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship recipient from the Litchfield Jazz Camp, Samantha Ilewicz. Samantha is an up and coming bassist who will be starting her freshman year at NYU this fall. A graduate of Coventry High School in Connecticut, Samantha will be advancing her skills on the upright bass, majoring in jazz performance. A fan of different eclectic music styles, her jazz bassist favorites include Ray Brown, Paul Chambers and Ron Carter. Following in their footsteps, Samantha’s goal is to one day be a professional musician based out of NYC.

The Billy Strayhorn Foundation wishes Samantha nothing but continued success in all of the wonderful musical and academic journeys ahead in her bright future! Kudos once again to the outstanding jazz education work being done by the prestigious Litchfield Jazz Camp in Connecticut with the young musical talent they nurture. Find out more about their jazz initiatives at: litchfieldjazzcamp.com

Congratulations to the Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship Award Recipients from the Nashville Jazz Workshop Summer Camp

Sending congratulations to our Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship recipients Aidan Kimbrough and Ransom Carroll. Both were selected as Strayhorn Scholarship recipients as part of the Nashville Jazz Workshop Summer Youth Jazz Camp held June 1st thru the 4th at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.

At the NJW Summer Jazz Camp, the expert faculty delivered specialized instruction and an ensemble experience built to meet the students needs. With feedback from hundreds of students and directors across Middle Tennessee, the summer jazz camp takes an intensive focus on improvisation — for students at every level. It offered participants a chance for deep, focused learning in the foundational tools of the jazz vocabulary. The summer camp was for students 6 thru 12th grade, vocalists and instrumentalists of all school levels, and young musicians who wanted to strengthen their understanding of jazz in an immersive, supportive environment.

Ransom (who plays the trumpet), and Aidan (who plays drums, bass and piano) both spoke very highly of the jazz camp experience and are excited to return next year. Special thanks to Executive and Artistic Director, Max Abrams and Director of Development David Watterson for spearheading another successful youth summer jazz camp. A big shout out to all at NJW for the outstanding work being done thru a number of jazz education initiatives, community events, workshops and concerts that keep them engaged and innovative in the jazz community.

In Memory of Billy Strayhorn: November 29th, 1915–May 31st, 1967

A happy heavenly memory on this day of his eternal home going May 31st, 1967 for arranger, composer, lyricist and pianist Billy Strayhorn. From his humble beginnings and musical promise at Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh, to his international renown and transformational impact on jazz history, Strayhorn has been (and still is) an inspiring musical figure as well as a beautifully humble human spirit. We honor him. “Ever Up and Onward.”

“Saxophone Colossus” Sonny Rollins Dies at 95

Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, who was schooled by jazz bebop legends, and then became one himself as a formidable band leader, composer and improviser, has passed at the age of 95. Sporting a burly tone along with a keen melodic and harmonic ingenuity, Rollins stands out as a jazz voice that was truly groundbreaking. Over the course of a career that stretched back to the late 1940’s, his immense stature was acknowledged with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, The Kennedy Honors and a National Medal of Arts.

Among the long list of amazing music he recorded, Rollins did a classic rendition of the Billy Strayhorn tune, “Rain Check” (1955). Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation salutes and gives esteemed honor in memory of this jazz giant. (Photo by Jordi Vidal).

Congratulations to the 2026 Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship Award recipient from Temple University: Anthony Aldissi

Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation congratulates our 2026 Billy Strayhorn Scholarship recipient from Temple University, Anthony Aldissi. Anthony, who is originally from the St. Petersburg-Clearwater area of Florida, is a masterful pianist who is in his last year of grad school. From a young age, Anthony says that it was his mother who was very encouraging, as well as piano playing being a creative outlet.

Anthony, who will graduate with a masters degree in jazz piano and performance, enjoys playing in jam sessions and gigs that take him from Philly to New York City to Boston. Anthony is honored to receive this award named for Billy Strayhorn, who is one of his favorite composers. He has enjoyed his time at Temple, saying…”Temple has been really great, inclusive and musically inspiring.” Among piano greats, Anthony also finds inspiration from Chick Corea, Joey Calderraza, Mulgrew Miller, Sullivan Fortner and Aaron Parks.

To Anthony, we again give kudos and we wish him nothing but the best as he keeps moving “Ever Up and Onward!”

“Billy Strayhorn: The Man and his Music”-Presented to the University of Louisville Jazz Studies Program.

Galen Demus, nephew of Billy Strayhorn and a University of Louisville alumni himself, connected with Professor Ansyn Banks and his grad level jazz studies class for a fun and informative hour sharing the story and some jazz history about the legendary arranger, composer, lyricist and pianist. Every other year, Professor Banks teaches a semester long class on Duke Ellington and has Galen come in as a surprise guest to give insight on Strayhorn’s musical life before and during the Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration. Thank you to Professor Banks and the U of L Jazz Studies program for providing this jazz education space for students to learn more about the history of these jazz giants and this great music during Jazz Appreciation Month.
Picture–Professor Banks (far left, front row, and the U of L jazz studies class).

April is Jazz Appreciation Month !

April is Jazz Appreciation Month (Known as JAM). Established in 2001 by John Hasse who was with the Smithsonian Museum of American History, JAM celebrates the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz throughout the entire month. It honors jazz as a living, evolving art form with special events, concerts, and jazz education. We proudly start the month off with the 2015 JAM poster highlighting the centennial of arranger, composer, lyricist and pianist…Billy Strayhorn. The poster artist was Keith Henry Brown.

Celebrating Women’s History Month

Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation celebrated the month of March as Women’s History Month. The celebration and acknowledgement highlights the amazing contribution of women to events in history and contemporary society. With this post, we honor Lillian Strayhorn Young, mother of jazz icon Billy Strayhorn. Lillian was born in Hillsborough, North Carolina in 1891. As a young woman, she attended Shaw University in Raleigh, which was one of the first historically black colleges in the United States, founded immediately after the Civil War. Billy considered his mom his “Satin Doll” whose persistent maternal love and nurturing gave the world a wonderful musical gift…

Congratulations to the 2026 Billy Strayhorn Jazz Education Scholarship recipient from the Berklee College of Music, Aiden Chang

A big shout out and congratulations to the 2026 Strayhorn Scholarship recipient from the Berklee College of Music, pianist Aiden Chang. A freshman at Berklee, Aiden arrived in the United States from Seoul, Korea to attend Berklee in 2025. Aiden was the winner of the Billy Strayhorn piano competition in playing and arranging Strayhorn songs along with individual compositions of the competition participants.

Aiden, influenced by his father who was a Jazz pianist in Seoul, also finds inspiration from other piano jazz greats like Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Bud Powell, Sullivan Fortner and Aaron Parks, to name a few. He aspires to be a professional jazz pianist himself. On being selected as the 2026 Strayhorn Scholarship award winner, Aiden says “first of all, I am really grateful and honored. Strayhorn was a composer hero of mine. It’s an honor to talk to a family member of his. I really appreciate that.” Aiden is also appreciative of the wide range of musical and diverse styles nurtured at Berklee, both with music and the student population.

Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation send congrats and best wishes to Aiden on all his future musical and academic endeavors. Also, major applause to Associate Professor of Piano at the Berklee College of Music Jason Yeager, who has been instrumental in this award becoming part of the annual Keys Fest event. Keys Fest is an amazing event that Berklee holds annually highlighting everything that can be done musically with a keyboard.

Listen to Aidens wonderful Billy Strayhorn recital concert from Keys Fest 2026 below:

https://vimeo.com/showcase/9722670

Dr. Greg Morris inducted into the Allderdice High School Alumni Hall of Fame

Greg Morris, the nephew of world renowned arranger, composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn, recently received the honor of being inducted into Pittsburgh’s Allderdice High School alumni hall of fame class of 2026. A 1955 graduate, Dr. Morris served many years with the Pittsburgh Public School System and the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, excelling in reading instruction. Dr. Morris is also well known as a civic leader in the arts and jazz education.

As the original executor of the Billy Strayhorn Estate (appointed by his uncle in 1967), Dr. Morris has been instrumental as a founding member of Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc., and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation. Both family organizations have thrived in keeping the name, music and legacy of Billy Strayhorn alive. Congratulations Dr. Morris on your alumni hall of fame induction.

© Copyright 2017- Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc. Website Design by Todd W. Brown