I am happy to announce a very successful close to the first U.S. portion of the 2014 Joe Zawinul International Student Music Exchange Program. Philip Woloch, the winner of the 2014 “Z” Award and recipient of the first Los Angeles music and cultural exchange, arrived August 15th to a busy schedule of lessons, practicing, and sightseeing. The Foundation and the Zawinul Family were pleased to welcome him and his mother Patricia for the ten-day program and it was a pleasure to host both of them at my home.
Between the lessons, practicing, and performing, I noticed a change in Philip during the program. He started out as a shy young man dedicated to his practice methods, and left Los Angeles with a sense of confidence in his abilities as both a pianist and singer that I hope we will carry with him forever.
The Foundation is grateful to have partnered with Austrian Consul General Ms. Ulrike Ritzinger for the Musikalischer Nachmittag, the first U.S. Zawinul Foundation event. The Consul General hosted a really enjoyable evening of awards, performances by herself, Philip, and Jamael Dean, as well as a delicious buffet of traditional Austrian fare at the Austrian Residence.
The first year of the Joe Zawinul International Student Music Exchange Program would not have been possible without funding provided by our generous donors. I cannot thank you all enough. I would like to extend a special thank you to all of Philip’s teachers—Carol Tingle, Marie Brown Curea, and Kelly & Kamille Rudisill of Karmina—and all of the studio personnel who welcomed Philip onto their lots and into their studios. I am deeply grateful for your commitment to supporting young artists and their musical education. Please take a look at our Supporters page for more information about them.
Members of the Board of Directors, my Staff, and the Zawinul Family—thank you for continuing to help me realize my parents’ dream by making these programs possible. And to Andi Tieber and Ulli Baar of the Joe Zawinul Musikschule, Michaela Hahn of Musikschul Management, and Austrian Consul General Ms. Ulrike Ritzinger—I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your dedication to this program and for your friendship. I am excited to discover what we can all achieve together next year.
The Zawinul Foundation looks forward to watching Philip’s future in music unfold. Here’s to the future of the Zawinul Foundation for Achievement, to the success of our current batch of brilliant young musicians, and to the future generations of winners!
Warmly,
Tony Zawinul
Founder/CEO Zawinul Foundation for Achievement