Student Receives Seed Grant to Nurture Music
Matthew James, DM ’26 in Saxophone Performance, was recently awarded the North American Saxophone Alliance Seed Grant in support of the Florida Youth Saxophone Summit, an event designed to provide access to high-level instruction and foster collaboration among young saxophonists in South Florida.
About the Organization
The North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) is a non-profit organization formed in 1976 under Dr. Frederick Hemke, saxophone professor at Northwestern University from 1962 to 2012. NASA’s goal is to provide resources to saxophonists across all ages, skill levels, backgrounds, and musical styles, and its members include teachers, performers, students, scholars, and enthusiasts. The Seed Grant is awarded to projects that promote meaningful educational engagement within the community and advance the saxophone.
About the Event
Co-founded by James, Miami University doctoral student Dylan Tucker, and Everglades High School Director of Bands Gustave Major, the Florida Youth Saxophone Summit (FYSS) held its inaugural session on February 7, 2026, at the Dillard Center for the Arts. The event featured masterclasses and performances for young saxophonists interested in both classical and jazz music. The summit brought together students from 16 different schools in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Saxophonists across every level of education, from elementary school to undergraduate music majors, participated.
Background and Impact
According to James, the seeds of the summit were sown in 2025 during conversations between James and Major “about opportunities that we wished were accessible as young musicians growing up in South Florida.” James highlighted costs and lack of awareness as common barriers to entry. “It was also pretty rare for our schools to be able to afford professional musicians or any sort of guest artist to come and teach,” said James. “It only took a few conversations for both of us to brainstorm and assess what we would have to do in order for this to become a reality.”
Reflecting on the first summit, James expressed his satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity to positively impact young musicians. “I am just happy to have this platform to support my community and the local musicians,” said James. “Regardless of where my career takes me, I want to include South Florida in every step by giving back as much as I can.”