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In the summer of 1993, Pacific Music Industry Association (PMIA) decided to initiate a music scholarship fund. The Board of Directors chose to create that fund in the name of B.C.'s great musician and cultural ambassador, Fraser MacPherson. Delegates from the Board informed Mr. MacPherson of our wish, but already the great saxophonist was in poor health, suffering from cancer.

On September 28, 1993, Fraser MacPherson passed away at age 65. Born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, MacPherson had his Musicians union card by the time he was 16. He was known in Vancouver for his prolonged residency at the Palomar and at the Cave, where he became band leader at the age of 23.

He toured the Soviet Union five times, the last in 1989. In 1982 he won a JUNO for Best Jazz Recording for his duet with Oliver Gannon, his long-time musical colleague, titled I Didn't Know About You -- an apropos title for a man all described as private and enigmatic. At age 60 he was named to the Order of Canada.

When he passed away in September of 1993, the Vancouver Musicians Association noted that in lieu of flowers, donations would be accepted to the Fraser MacPherson Music Scholarship Fund. The response was overwhelming.

Nevertheless, for an ongoing scholarship fund, monies must continue to be raised. Our first major fundraiser was a Gala on April 10, 1994 at the Commodore Ballroom, sponsored by Shaw Communications, honouring Fraser MacPherson with a tribute and a re-creation of the band he led.

Since December 1993, the Fund has been officially incorporated as a Society in BC. President is Peter Stigings, a music educator, and Canadian coordinator of the International Association of Jazz Educators. In 1999 the society moved off on its own, after having been started by PMIA.

Each year the fund has disbursed between four and eight $2,000 scholarships. Upon the Society's 10th anniversary, in a climate of highly challenging fundraising, the Society decided to concentrate its efforts on jazz musicians specifically, and to deliver educational workshops.

The association welcomes BC's music industry's support. For this season we would like to announce a $2000 scholarship sponsored by the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, and a Galaxie award for best High School Jazz Musician.

Scholarship applications are available in summer for young instrumentalists to age 25, playing jazz music, looking for funds to further their musical education.