With funding and access to performance opportunities, two musicians are joining a growing network of artists supported by Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.<\/p>\n
The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music<\/a> announced July 10 that it has selected Merikara<\/a> and alana amore colvin<\/a>\u00a0as its 2026\u201327 Jazz Leaders Fellows<\/a>, awarding each musician a $12,500 unrestricted fellowship to support their artistic careers.<\/p>\n In addition to the financial award, the fellows will receive free rehearsal space and performance and curatorial opportunities through the Park Slope conservatory during the coming year.<\/p>\n Now in its sixth year, the fellowship supports Black women and Black nonbinary musicians working in jazz and related genres.<\/p>\n BKCM celebrated the new fellows during a reception July 9 at its concert hall in Park Slope. Since the program launched in 2021, the conservatory has selected two artists annually, bringing the total number of fellowship recipients to 12.<\/p>\n Merikara is a contemporary jazz vocalist whose work blends blues, hip-hop, R&B and gospel with jazz traditions while emphasizing community engagement through music education, cultural programming and grassroots initiatives.<\/p>\n Brooklyn-based guitarist, composer and arranger alana amore colvin is known for avant-garde performances rooted in Afro-folkloric traditions and has become a regular presence in the New York City downtown music scene through collaborations with several ensembles and artists.<\/p>\n As part of the fellowship, each recipient will develop and lead a public performance while collaborating with BKCM’s Community Music School Jazz Program<\/a> to engage students through educational programming.<\/p>\n The fellowship was conceived by former BKCM board member Daniel DiPietro and is supported by Daniel and Alexis DiPietro and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation.<\/p>\n