Jazz is an essential part of music culture. During its more than 100-year development, jazz has produced ever new styles and has become a globally dominant form of pop music, which it continues to play a key role in shaping. In addition to high virtuosity in mastering their instruments, jazz musicians are characterized by a special talent for improvisation. In Germany, an independent jazz culture of international importance has developed since the 1960s with prominent artists such as Albert Mangelsdorff, Klaus Doldinger and Till Brönner.
Promoting young jazz talent in German-speaking countries is a particular concern of the initiators of the YOUNG JAZZ TALENT AWARD. In 2022, the "Ringbeck Foundation" launched the award: Young, not yet established jazz musicians between the ages of 16 and 23 are to be given special support in their career development. Each year, the focus is on a selected instrument/element.
In 2025, the search for young talent will enter its fourth round: This year, we are looking for talented guitarists... »GUITARS ONLY«. The selection of applicants will begin in January, and the competition will take place in May 2025. We will introduce the applicants and jury members here shortly. As in previous years, the competition event with a public audition and awards ceremony will be held in the »Jazz Schmiede Düsseldorf«. The date is May 10, 2025.
The content concept of the YOUNG JAZZ TALENT AWARD was developed jointly by the board of the »Ringbeck Foundation«, Jürgen Ringbeck, and Peter Weiss, the spiritus rector of the Düsseldorf jazz scene and musical director of the »Jazz Schmiede . Düsseldorf«. In 2024, Peter Baumgärtner will take over the management of the »Jazz Schmiede . Düsseldorf« and the supervision of the YOUNG JAZZ TALENT AWARD. Special thanks for their support in the implementation go to the professors and lecturers responsible for the nominations, the members of the jury as well as the "Jazz Schmiede . Düsseldorf" and the other participating German jazz clubs.
REVIEW
In 2024, the competition was all about singing as a complementary and at the same time dominant element of jazz ... "VOCALS ONLY". The winner was 24-year-old Eva Swiderski. She convinced the jury with her confident, experimental and technically excellent singing; her interaction with the band was very good, her stage presence was outstanding. Eva completed her studies at the HfMT . University of Music and Dance Cologne - degree program "Music . Jazz/Pop", major in jazz singing, with a bachelor's degree in 2024.
In 2023, the piano was the focus as one of the particularly important, style-defining instruments in jazz and pop music ... "PIANO ONLY". 22-year-old Paul Küppers won the majority of the jury's votes. Paul will be in his sixth semester in 2023 at the HfMT, University of Music and Dance, Cologne - Bachelor's degree program in "Music. Jazz/Pop" with lessons from Prof. Hubert Nuss and Prof. Niels Klein. He is the bandleader of the group PKIII and has performed as a sideman with the Frederik Hesses Quintet and the fusion band M.E.I.N.E.R., among others.
In 2022, the focus was on the drums... "DRUMS ONLY". The winner was Merlin Hellenkamp. He is studying at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen Werden - Bachelor's degree program in "Jazz Performing Artist Drums" with lessons from Prof. Thomas Alkier and Sperie Karas. At 18, he was the youngest of four nominated drummers and proved to be an exceptional talent among the younger drummers in North Rhine-Westphalia.
