The Bragg Women Music Opportunities Fund was established in 2017 by John Bragg, Mount Allison alumnus and past Chancellor, and his wife Judy, also a Mount Allison graduate.
The fund honours five women in the Bragg family who made significant contributions to music education including:
- Zillah Bragg
- Sylvia Bragg
- Kathleen (Bragg) Sherman (Class of 1952)
- Carolyn (Bragg) Glennie (Class of 1958)
- Lorraine (Bragg) Moore (Class of 1970)
The Bragg Fund provides funding in three main areas:
- The fund supports the visit of an artist-in-residence of national or international stature every year. The residency may include concerts, master classes, workshops, and mentoring of students.
- The fund supports student summer programs and touring opportunities, including summer programs in music.
- The fund supports music technology purchases, including advanced music-related software and hardware which will allow students to explore new ways of creating, recording, developing, and sharing their musical ideas.
“Music and music education have always played an important role in my family. I am pleased to recognize Bragg Women in my family who have made lasting contributions to music education.”
— John Bragg ('62, '63, LLD '93)
Bragg Artist-in-Residence
Award-winning saxophonist and broadcaster Jess Gillam will join us as the 5th annual Bragg Artist-in-Residence, March 5-8, 2024. The residency will includes public talks, workshops and class visits, a master class, and concludes with a concert with pianist Tom Weaver.
Jess has been called "Not just one of Britain’s most virtuosic instrumentalists, but also an unstuffy, inspiring personality” (The Times) and hosts the BBC Podcast This Classical Life.
Bragg Artist Biography
Hailing from Ulverston in Cumbria, Jess Gillam is animating the music world with her outstanding talent and infectious personality. She has been forging her own adventurous path since she shot to fame becoming the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician and the youngest ever soloist to perform at the Last Night of the Proms. Passionate about inspiring and bringing joy to people through music, Jess invites audiences on journeys of musical discovery through her electrifying performances and eclectic programming.
As well as performing around the world, Jess is a presenter on TV and Radio. She became the youngest ever presenter for BBC Radio 3 with the launch of her own weekly show, This Classical Life. The show is in its third year now and in 2020 won the prestigious ARIA Award for Best Specialist Music Show. Jess has presented a special live edition of This Classical Life at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. She has also been a guest presenter for BBC Radio 2 and co-hosted a miniseries for BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. Keen to explore the creative output of her home county, Jess presented a series of Cumbrian Chats on BBC Radio Cumbria. TV presenting includes the BBC Proms and BBC Young Musician.
Jess is the first ever saxophonist to be signed exclusively to Decca Classics and both of her albums reached No. 1 in the UK Classical Music Charts. Her debut album was listed in The Times Top 100 albums of 2019. She has been the recipient of a Classic BRIT Award, has been nominated for The Times Breakthrough Award, and was awarded an M.B.E. in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021 for Services to Music.
A free spirit in style and character, Jess is an advocate for the power of music in society. She is passionate about inspiring and bringing joy to people through music and during lockdown, she formed her ‘Virtual Scratch Orchestra’, inviting musicians of any standard to come together to play music virtually with her. The orchestra played music by David Bowie and The Beatles as well as a Christmas special of Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride’. Over 2,000 people, aged 2-94, from around 30 different countries took part across the two projects, playing a huge range of instruments. Jess is a patron for Awards for Young Musicians and London Music Fund and enjoys working and performing with young musicians.
Her infectious enthusiasm and passion for classical and non-classical music lights up every stage and she has performed in prestigious concert halls and with world-class orchestras around the globe including the NDR Hannover, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, and the UK’s leading orchestras. She also enjoys touring with her newly-formed Jess Gillam Ensemble, bringing together a group of brilliant musicians who share her bold, uplifting, and open-minded approach. Jess has performed live at the BAFTAs to millions of viewers at home.
Bragg Artist Residency public events
As part of the 2023-24 Bragg Artist Residency, Jess Gillam will take part in several public events:
TUESDAY, MARCH 5
Master Class: Jess Gillam works with saxophone and clarinet students from the Bachelor of Music program. Brunton, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
New Music Ensemble Rehearsal. Band Room, 6:00-8:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
Guest in Introduction to Music, Culture, and Context. 10:30-11:20 a.m. (Room 100) and 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. (Band Room)
Performance Sharing Hub. Gillam works with Bachelor of Music students with a focus on performance, presentation, and stage presence. Brunton, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Colloquium Musicum. My Life in Music. Gillam discusses her life as a performer, presenter, and broadcaster. Brunton, 4:00 p.m.
Public Talk. The Power of Music. Gillam discusses the importance of music and the reasons musicians feel the need to create. Brunton, 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 7
Guest in Composition & Music Technology. Choral Room, 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
Workshop. Career Planning and Creative Strategies. Gillam discusses the importance of setting goals and being ambitious for young musicians. Brunton, 2:30-3:50 p.m.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8
Jess Gillam in Concert. This year’s Bragg Residency concludes with a recital of works for saxophone and piano. Jess Gillam is joined by pianist Tom Weaver. Brunton, 7:30 p.m.
Previous Bragg Artists-in-Residence
Missy Mazzoli, composer, 2022-2023
Graham Johnson, collaborative pianist and scholar, 2021-2022
Kirill Gerstein, pianist, 2019-20
Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano, 2018-19
Bragg Summer Programs and Touring Awards
Each year the Bragg fund invites applications from students to support high-level off-campus training and mentorship opportunities. In many cases, these will be programs with a competitive application process. The fund assists with program fees, travel and accommodation, and other costs. In addition, the fund supports performance tours of student musicians.
Supported programs may include, for example:
- Orford Music Academy summer programs
- Opera NUOVA summer opera program
- an independent mentorship with a film composer or conductor in a major urban centre
- a summer program in music theory or musicology
Supported touring programs may include, for example:
- an opera workshop, band, or choir tour of regional schools
- a solo or chamber ensemble tour (e.g., a student brass quintet)
2024 Bragg Summer Program and Touring Applications
- 2024 Bragg Summer Program Application Form
- 2024 Bragg Touring Application Form
- CV Template (required for these applications)
Applications for the 2024 round of funding are due by 4 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024. Completed applications should be e-mailed to Dr. Kevin Morse (kmorse@mta.ca) as a single PDF.
Note that a faculty signature is required for both applications. Faculty may either sign the final PDF electronically or may submit the PDF on behalf of the student along with a short e-mail indicating their support.
Students may find it helpful to consult this guide to creating effective resumes and CVs for musicians from the Eastman School of Music.
Please contact Dr. Morse (kmorse@mta.ca) with questions.