We are excited to share that this year’s CYSO Alumni Award honoree is 2017 alum Jahari Stampley. Each year, CYSO recognizes a graduate from across the organization’s history for their contribution to music and culture. Stampley was a member of Jazz Orchestra’s inaugural season in 2016-2017 and is already accomplishing big things in the music world, including being named the winner of this year’s Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition. He will be on hand to receive his award from CYSO Director of Jazz Pharez Whitted at our fall Orchestra Hall concert on Sunday, November 19.
Stampley began playing piano at the age of 14 and within just a few years, was winning competitions including Best High School Jazz Soloist and National YoungArts Competition. He has toured with Stanley Clark and is featured in Derrick Hodge’s album, Color of Noise. Stampley has performed at prestigious venues including Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City, The Met Philadelphia, San Francisco Jazz Center, and Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. He is a 2023 Luminarts Fellow and has headlined tours in Germany and Switzerland and conducted workshops both in the US and internationally. Stampley was also band leader in the 2023 feature film Spinning Gold. He has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Chicago Tribune, WRTI, and other media outlets.
Stampley music app Piano Chronicles, for which he created all the art, music, and animation, is available now on Google Play and the Apple store. His first album Still Listening was released earlier this year. More info is available on his website.
