Student Receives Seed Grant to Nurture Music

FSU Music in the News Student Receives Seed Grant to Nurture Music August 4th, 2026 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. 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. 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, and 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, were able to learn and grow as musicians together. 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 pointed to costs of attending events and even simple awareness of events 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.” Now that the dust has settled from the first Florida Youth Saxophone Summit, James expressed his satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity to positively impact so many 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.” Recent News View All News College of Music Launches Center for Music Leadership and Community Engagement, Names Director News Aug 3, 2026 Read more Introducing: Dr. Rachel Hottle News Jul 31, 2026 Read more Ruby Diamond Receives Audio Refresh News Jul 30, 2026 Read more View All News