In celebration of Mary Lou’s 100th birthday, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis are looking for a girl to swing our band, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO). We’re searching the entire country for a female jazz pianist age 15-or-under to perform one song with the orchestra as part of the Jazz for Young People concert Who is Mary Lou Williams? on November 6 and 7, 2009.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Asks: Are You the Next Mary Lou Williams?

At the age of eight she was known as “the little piano girl.” Then she was billed as “The Girl Who Swings the Band.” Eventually, Mary Lou Williams became one of the finest musicians in jazz history, male or female.

Now, in celebration of Mary Lou’s 100th birthday, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis are looking for a girl to swing our band, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO). We’re searching the entire country for a female jazz pianist age 15-or-under to perform one song with the orchestra as part of the Jazz for Young People concert Who is Mary Lou Williams? on November 6 and 7, 2009.

This competition is open to any female who is:

(A) 15 years of age or younger as of November 7, 2009

(B) Lives in the continental United States

(C) Has a parent/adult available to chaperone in New York City on November 5-7.

If you fit the bill, we invite you to download the sheet music for Mary Lou Williams’ piano feature “Close to Five” and submit a DVD of your performance (solo or with rhythm section accompaniment) for competition by Wednesday October 14,, 2009 at 5:00PM EST.

Two finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges that includes the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s piano chair (and a piano prodigy himself), Dan Nimmer. The winner will receive 4 free tickets to Jazz for Young People: Who is Mary Lou Williams and the chance to perform “Close to Five” with the JLCO in Rose Theater.

To Enter:

Download the application form, FAQ and sheet music.
Listen to Mary’s recording, practice a lot and record a video (maximum 5 minutes) of your performance.
Submit the application form and a DVD of your performance to Jazz at Lincoln Center. All materials must arrive by Wednesday October 14, 2009, 5:00 PM EST. The winner will be announced on our website on Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Send DVD and application to:

Jazz at Lincoln Center
Education Department-Mary Lou Williams
33 West 60th St. 11th Fl.
New York, NY 10023

Performances will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Soulfulness – Swing, spirit
Rhythm - Groove, balance, pulse, timekeeping, swing feel
Soloing/Improvisation - Constructing improvisations through harmonic progressions in the style of the piece
Interpretation – Expression, stylistic choices, maintaining integrity of the original piece, beauty
Basic Musicianship/Technique – Articulation, precision, tone, attacks, releases, dynamics, accents, tempo, phrasing, control, projection, clarity, melodic line
Have Questions?
Read the FAQ, then call 212-258-9974 or email education@jalc.org. We look forward to hearing from you!


Want to learn more about Mary Lou Williams?

Visit the Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame Online to learn about her life and listen to more of her great music. Or explore the online exhibit “Mary Lou Williams: Soul on Soul” produced by the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.

And don’t forget to join us at the Rose Theater on Saturday, November 7, for Jazz for Young People: Who is Mary Lou Williams? with host Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.