Announcing the 2024 Winners of our Rising Star Jazz Awards!

The Rising Star Jazz Awards recognize young musicians who showcase exceptional performance ability, are studying jazz music at a secondary or post-secondary level, and are eager to pursue a professional career in jazz. It supports their development by providing a performance opportunity at the festival and a $1.000 scholarship, sponsored by Coast Capital and the Fort Langley Community Improvement Society.

"One of our key goals is to support youth and emerging artists, and the award is a wonderful opportunity for up-and-coming jazz students to perform with and be mentored by established artists while also receiving financial support for their education," says Festival co-founder and Artistic Director Dave Quinn.

This year, the Rising Star Awards will go to 17-year-old violinist, guitarist, and upright bassist Jaiden Christie, who won the Secondary School category, and 19-year-old drummer and percussionist Steven Rutherford, who won the Post-Secondary category. 

Both winners are dedicated and passionate jazz students. Jaiden is enrolled in the Vancouver Technical Music Program at Vancouver Technical Secondary, and Steven is majoring in Music at Trinity Western University. Both winners are pursuing a career in jazz music! 

Meet Jaiden Christie, the secondary school winner:

Jaiden has been playing the violin for 13 years and the guitar for seven, and he can't remember a time when he wasn't performing. He became obsessed with music when he was just over one year old, began performing at weddings and events at age four, and has been a contracted musician since he was 10. 

He studies music in multiple senior-level bands at Vancouver Technical and in various programs including the VSO (Vancouver Symphony School of Music) Jazz Combo Program, Vancouver Learning Network, and more. He has studied with more than a handful of musicians, including Josh Zubot, Shannon Saunders, Chris Fraser, Cole McBride, Amanda Kilburn, Elizabeth Riegert, Lan Tung, and Juno Award-winning artists Meredith Bates and Cole Schmidt. 

Jaiden is in his last year of high school and hopes to study jazz at either Capilano University of McGill's Schulich School of Music – or anywhere his peers take jazz as seriously as he does. 

"I'm overwhelmed to have been chosen for this award! I'm a big fan of the Fort Langley Jazz Festival and more than honoured to have been recognized in this way," says Jaiden. "Free public music festivals got me hooked on learning music in the first place and have played a big part in shaping who I am as a musician. Things have come full circle. I'm over the moon!"

Watch Jaiden play at the Rising Spirit Stage at this year’s Festival on Saturday, July 27, from 11:45 am - 12:15 pm! And check him out on YouTube here. 

Meet Steven Rutherford, the post-secondary school winner: 

Steven Rutherford is in his second year at Trinity Western University and has maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking private percussion lessons with Nick Apivor. "No matter the difficulty of the music I give him, whether it's drum set, marimba, tympani, or Latin percussion, he takes on the challenge with a sense of adventure,” he says.

Steven began his journey in music by studying piano at age 10. He then started playing mallet percussion after joining a middle school percussion band. It took only a short time until he led the percussion sections in school productions and ensembles. "I feel grateful when asked to lead the percussion sections, as well as stepping in for my jazz combo professor to ensure my compositions are to my perfection," says Steven, who has played percussion for eight years and the drums for five. 

Steven has composed four jazz pieces for the TWU Jazz Combo and participates in a local jazz group called 'The Ol' Jazz Factory,' where he is the main drummer/percussionist. 

"My main goals with performing are to expand, promote, and grow 'The Ol' Jazz Factory' band to possibly play outside of our local area," says Steven, from Langley. "I see myself having a career within jazz music, possibly as a composer, bandleader, and professional musician."

Watch Steven perform at the Rising Spirit Stage at this year’s Festival on Sunday, July 28, from 12 - 12:30 pm, and check out his music on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you to all of the talented young artists who applied for the 2024 Rising Star Jazz Awards!