Membership I S
The Space Coast Jazz Society (SCJS)
was founded in 1986 with the mission
to keep jazz alive and well on the
Space Coast. The society has hosted
a monthly concert series for years,
which 95-year-old founder Jack
Simpson still attends. Their concerts
bring top-notch musicians and bands
to our community. But did you know
the SCJS also awards scholarships to
local students looking to further their
The Space Coast Jazz Society needs help to continue
to preserve and promote live jazz in Brevard County.
The society is looking to increase its membership,
particularly among the next generation of jazz
lovers. Students can become members for as little
as $5, while individual memberships start at $30.
Membership for a couple starts at just $50 annually.
“Becoming a member means you help us to bring in
first-rate musicians from outside Melbourne to the
area,” said board member
Gigi Gordon. “Members
get discounted tickets
to our monthly concert
series. But most
importantly, this is the
place where people can
come and enjoy jazz.”
The Space Coast Jazz
Society looks to both
their individual donors
and their corporate
partners to help them
hire professional
musicians for live
concerts as well as fund
scholarships. Gordon’s
dream is for the society
to grow large enough
to one day put on a jazz
festival in Brevard.
The society has awarded
scholarships to Brevard
County students for
over 20 years. This year
the SCJS will give out
two $1,000 scholarships
to graduating high
school seniors who are
interested in furthering
their studies in jazz, even
if they do not plan to
major in music.
“Even if they don’t go on
to become professional
musicians, music will
always be in their lives,”
Gordon said. The deadline
to apply is April 15, and
the scholarships will be
awarded on May 3.
Jared Dransfield, a 2019
scholarship winner, went
on to study trumpet
performance at BYUIdaho.
“The scholarship allowed
me to purchase a classical
trumpet that I needed
to play in orchestra
settings,” he said.
The society’s next
concert, featuring the
Jeff Rupert Quartet, will
take place on Sunday,
March 8 at 2 p.m. at
the Rockledge Country
Club. Tickets are $10
for members, $15 for
guests, and are available
for purchase online or at
the door.
The SCJS is always
looking for volunteers
who want to work
behind the scenes.
“New members are very
welcome,” Gordon said.
“We are looking to get
people involved who are
very enthusiastic about
promoting jazz.”
EVERYTHING arts
Music To Our Ears
For more details on
becoming a member
of Space Coast Jazz
Society or to apply for a
scholarship, visit
spacecoastjazzsociety.org.
Jazz@SpaceCoastJazzSociety.org
/SpaceCoastJazzSociety/
@spacecoastjazzsociety
B Y K A R Y N C O L E
Photos by
Christina
Stuart
048 // EVERYTHINGBREVARD.com
/spacecoastjazzsociety.org
/EVERYTHINGBREVARD.com
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