JAZZ.FM91 is pleased to announce that Davis O’Donnell is the 2021 recipient of the Mary Alice Stuart Scholarship.
Mary Alice Stuart, the founding chair of JAZZ.FM91, made an unparalleled contribution to the organization, helping to make JAZZ.FM91 the successful enterprise it is today. To honour her legacy, a program was developed in 2009 that awards annual $1,000 scholarships to outstanding emerging jazz artists who are completing their studies at the four Toronto-based post-secondary institutions currently offering jazz programs.
Davis O’Donnell is a drummer and composer based in Etobicoke, having just completed his undergraduate degree in jazz performance at York University. During his time there, he studied with the likes of Barry Romberg, Anthony Michelli, Lorne Lofsky, Kevin Turcotte and Al Henderson. Before attending York, Davis went to Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School, where he received the Regional Arts Program Music Scholarship in his final year. O’Donnell is a former member of the alternative hard-rock group Scarlett’s Hand. He now plays with the Julia Favretto Quintet, a new vocal jazz band. He participated in this year’s season of JAZZ.FM91’s Jazzology.
This year’s finalists for the Mary Alice Stuart Scholarship were drummer Keith Barstow, bassist Dwayne Livingstone and singer-guitarist Spencer Mackenzie.