CONGRATULATIONS 2025 SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS!
The 2025 Jazz Unlimited of Greater Milwaukee Scholarship Competition was held on March 16th, 2025, at Classic Lanes Oak Creek. 45 incredibly talented young musicians shared their talents with an enthusiastic audience in front of a panel of highly qualified judges. An amazing $11,000 in total scholarships was awarded! Congratulations to all of the competitors, but especially to our 17 individual award winners:
$1,500 Wayne “Zim” Zimmermann Memorial Showmanship Award - Johann Albrecht, 17, piano
$1,000 Best Pianist Award - Hogan Kolowrat, 17, piano
$1,000 Doc and Lepa Munns Performance Award - Lilly Talbot, 17, piano ($500)
$1,000 Doc and Lepa Munns Performance Award - Samuel Caiola, 17, piano ($500)
$1,000 Douglas M. and Eleanor M. Gmoser Memorial Best Reed Player Award - Emmet Fettig, 17, saxophone
$750 Floyd Dorsey Memorial Best Vocalist Award - Lex V. Crump, 18
$750 Best Bassist Award - Svend Luke, 18
$750 Best Guitarist Award - Luke Murray, 17
$750 Best Drummer Award - Braden Murray, 17
$750 Becky Louise Frink Performance Award - Tommy Doerr, 17, trombone
$500 Sharon Schmidt Memorial Award for Instrumentalist or Vocalist - Alani Eastman, 17, vocals
$500 Sharon Schmit Memorial Award for Instrumentalist or Vocalist - Ben Markgraf, 17, piano
$500 "Classic Lanes Oak Creek" Performance Award for Instrumentalist or Vocalist - Logan Krueger, 18, piano
$500 “Taps for VETERANS” Bill Seaman Best Horn Player Award - Michael Martin, 17, trumpet
$250 Theodore "Ted" Peppas Memorial Youth Award for 15 Year Old & Younger - Riley Krueger, 15, piano
$250 Theodore "Ted" Peppas Memorial Youth Award for 15 Year Old & Younger - Noah Newman, 15, bass
$250 “Mezcalero Restaurant” Youth Award for 15 Year Old & Younger - Elliot Tiefenbrun, 15, drums
Winners are encouraged to use the Scholarship Money for Jazz-Related Activities (Camps, Lessons, Instruments, etc.).
Jazz Unlimited thanks all who made this possible: Generous award donors, JU members, our judges, high school band directors, instructors, and parents! We are gratified that a whole new generation of jazz musicians will carry the legacy of jazz forward!
Thanks to our Major Scholarship donors!
Diane Byrne (Gmoser family)
Annette Frink
Sally Maddick
Doc and Lepa Munns
Classic Lanes Oak Creek
CP Christoper Peppas
Bill Seaman
Mezcalero Restaurant
Stacy Zimmerman
