Carol Calato Jazz Scholarship Recipient Announced

The Lewiston Jazz Festival Inc. Board of Directors is proud to announce Benjamin Mekinulov as the recipient of the  2023 Carol Calato Jazz Scholarship.  The $1,000 scholarship is awarded each year through an application and judging process to a student majoring in a music field.  Ben is a senior Cello Performance major at the Cleveland Institute of Music graduating in 2024.  He started lessons with Professor Feng Hew of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra when he was 6 years old and it has been his passion ever since.  Ben has studied with Feng Hew (Buffalo Philharmonic), David Yink (Eastman School of Music) and Dr. Melissa Kraut (Cleveland Institute of Music).  

Benjamin has served as the Principal cellist of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra and recipient of First Prize of the Tuesday Morning Competition and Gold Medal Winner of the Cleveland Cello Society Scholarship.  

The application process for the 2024 scholarship will start in March of 2024 with information online at www.LewistonJazz.com