Fund my 2 year Jazz Masters course at William Paterson
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Hello there!
My name is Charles Rothwell – a saxophonist, jazz lover and, after working hard for the past four years, soon-to-be graduate from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Thank you for taking the time to view (and potentially contribute to!) my GoFundMe page, whether you’re a close friend, a recent gig-goer, or otherwise, your support would mean the world to me. This fundraiser is to help me fund the next big step in my education: a two-year Master’s in Jazz Studies and Performance at William Paterson University in New Jersey, starting Fall 2025.
A little bit about me…
Working towards a Bachelor of Music in Jazz, I’m now at a crossroads; set to graduate this summer after four years of hard work. At first, I was unsure of what the future held, but after a series of international gigs, I was incredibly inspired by the deep history and standard of Jazz that I encountered in New York.
I have been playing the saxophone for nearly 13 years, and have immersed myself in the jazz world over the past four years. During this time, I have consciously worked hard on being a well-rounded player, open to different contexts and styles. Along the way, I have had the privilege to work alongside and mentor under world-class musicians, including Tony Kofi, Jean Toussaint, Deschanel Gordon, Ruben Fox, and Charles Tolliver. I have had opportunities to play national and international venues, including the 606 club, The Vortex, The Barbican, Ronnie Scott’s, touring across Europe through over 20 cities, and performing as a headliner in the new line city NEOM (Saudi Arabia). Studying at Trinity helped me find my purpose, but it was when I visited New York last year that my perspective on jazz completely changed.
For a week, a close friend and I lived out of a tiny room in Harlem, eating $1 pizza slices and dedicating ourselves entirely to the jazz of New York. We spent every day scouring lineups, rushing around the city and catching as many gigs as we could, sometimes three a day. Every morning, we returned home in the early hours with incredible inspiration and, on some days, utter depression from the quality of the music. I met great musicians on and off the stage, taking in their sheer commitment to the music, and left with a clear sense of purpose: I needed to be there, surrounded by that level of artistry, learning from it every day.
Many colleges hold a reputable jazz standard in New York – New School, Juilliard, MSM, the list goes on. However, after talking to many current players in the scene (Ruben Fox, Abdias Armenteros, Jeremy Pelt), they all described William Paterson University as having a special energy. A real sense of community and love seems to vibrate around this place. Housing collections from Clark Terry, Thad Jones, Lee Konitz, Michael Brecker and others, Willie P also has some of the most precious archives of jazz history to date. The faculty is also outstanding: Vincent Herring, Jeremy Pelt, Mike LeDonne, Cecil Bridgewater, Bill Charlap, the list just goes on and on (https://www.wpunj.edu/cohss/departments/music/faculty/faculty_jazz.html).
Of the many places to study, this seemed like the right fit for me to grow as an artist, and receiving an offer was a dream come true.
This is a new experience for me, and I have always viewed myself as someone starting later than everyone else, suffering from a little bit of impostor syndrome now and then. So far, I have received a partial grant from the University and some help from my family. Even though William Paterson is a university (as opposed to a conservatoire, which typically has higher tuition fees ), I am still short of affording food (I don’t think I could fast that long) and some of the housing costs. If we could raise £5,000, this would go a HUGE way in helping me manage in this new adventure!
Again, this is extremely daunting for me; asking for money feels a little selfish. Despite this, friends and family have encouraged me to keep pushing to the finish line, so any donations you can spare would mean the world to me.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this. I know that many of you understand this is a dream for many UK jazz musicians, and that I am extremely privileged to be presented with this opportunity. I will do my best to make you proud :). For those of you who are less familiar with the jazz scene, an extra special thanks for going out of your way and reading through this. I have attached links below to my socials, so that you can stay updated on my progress!
William Paterson:
Organisator
Charles Rothwell
Organisator