Jenna Giordano was named as a finalist for the Nation YoungArts Foundation in Theater.
Jenna Giordano receives highest award from National YoungArts Foundation
JENNA GIORDANO OF MEDFORD, NEW JERSEY RECEIVES HIGHEST AWARD
FROM NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION
Shawnee High School student Jenna Giordano, of Medford, was named a 2018 National YoungArts Foundation Finalist in Theater, the organization’s highest honor.
Selected from the most competitive pool of applications to date, Giordano has been recognized for her outstanding artistic achievements and joins 757 of the nation’s most promising young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts from 47 states. YoungArts winners gain access to one of the most comprehensive programs for emerging artists in the United States, offering financial, professional and artistic development opportunities over the course of their careers.
“YoungArts congratulates all of the 2018 winners. This extraordinary group of young artists represents the vibrancy of our culture for years to come and we look forward to supporting and encouraging them at key junctures in their careers,” stated Carolina García Jayaram, YoungArts President and CEO. “I applaud all of our extraordinary panelists in making this year’s selection, one of the most competitive in YoungArts’ history.”
Giordano will receive a cash prize of up to $10,000; opportunities to share her work with the public at renowned institutions such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, D.C.), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Sotheby’s (New York) and New World Center (Miami); and access to mentors including Academy Award-winning director, producer, editor, writer and cinematographer Doug Blush; award-winning photographer Corinne May Botz; three-time New York Dance and Performance Awardee Nora Chipaumire; award-winning visual artist Teresita Fernández; Grammy-award winning vocalist and songwriter Lisa Fischer; best-selling authors Michael Grunwald and Kristen Simmons; acclaimed violinist Corin Lee; award-winning journalist, author, and provocative cultural critic Joan Morgan; American stage and television actress Karen Olivo ; critically acclaimed pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe; multi-Grammy nominated artist Patrice Rushen; and nine-time Grammy winner and a 17-time Grammy nominee Janis Siegel among others.
“It is an honor to be recognized by such an incredible organization. I cannot wait for an unforgettable week in Miami,” Giordano said.
Selected through a blind adjudication process conducted by an independent panel of highly accomplished artists, the 2018 winners represent the top 10 percent of applications.
As a finalist, Giordano will have the opportunity to participate in the 37 annual National YoungArts Week in Miami Jan. 7–14. The organization’s signature program, National YoungArts Week aims to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and community while offering finalists the guidance needed to prepare for the next stage of their artistic development. During the free, weeklong intensive, artists across 10 disciplines participate in master classes and workshops with internationally recognized leaders in their fields, such as Florence Stern Memorial Master Teacher Kyle Abraham. Throughout the week, Giordano’s work will be further adjudicated to determine additional award levels.
Each evening during National YoungArts Week, audiences can experience the work of these artists through performances in voice, jazz, theater, dance and classical music, as well as film screenings at New World Center , writers’ readings in the YoungArts Jewel Box , and a visual arts, photography and design exhibition curated by Pérez Art Museum Miami Assistant Curator Jennifer Inacio in the YoungArts Gallery. On Jan. 9, Giordano will share her work with the public at New World
Center as part of the Jazz and Theater Performance.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit youngarts.org/yaw.
