Meet the Bright Future of Jazz: Our 2025 Rising Star Jazz Award Winners

Since 2019, the Rising Star Jazz Awards have shone a spotlight on extraordinary young musicians who embody the future of jazz. These awards recognize exceptional students at both secondary and post-secondary levels who demonstrate outstanding jazz performance skills and aspire to build professional careers in this beloved art form.

More than just recognition, these awards provide early-career support through $1,000 scholarships sponsored by the Fort Langley Community Improvement Society and Langley Heritage Society. Winners also receive an invaluable festival performance in front of thousands of engaged Festival goers and alongside established artists from across the country. 

This summer, we're thrilled to showcase our 2025 Rising Star Jazz Award winners on the new dedicated Youth Stage, made possible through the generous support of the Tony Quo Vadis Foundation and Langley Community Music School!

Join us in congratulating José Guilles and Sadie Koshan as the 2025 Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival's Rising Star Jazz Award winners! Be sure to support these young musicians as they demonstrate their remarkable skills and take a significant step in their musical journeys. Check out their performances in front of the picturesque gardens of the Langley Heritage CNR Station on July 26 and 27, 2025, from 12:30 to 1:30 PM.

"José and Sadie's performances represent more than individual achievement," says Dave Quinn, the Festival's co-founder and Artistic Director. "They symbolize the future of jazz. The passion and talent of these young musicians ensures that jazz will continue to evolve and thrive for generations."

José Guilles, Secondary School Winner

At just 16 years old, José Guilles has played the piano for nine years. His accomplishments include performing for Musicfest Canada with his school's Jazz Choir, where he won "outstanding performance for a junior musician," and the Surrey Jazz Festival in his student-led combo, where he took home gold for classical piano!

"José plays jazz piano at a very high level for a 12th-grade student, and many aspects of his playing are way beyond his years, including his stylistic approach and his chordal abilities," says Brad Turner, an accomplished musician and instructor at the Capilano University Department of Jazz Studies. "His solos show an awareness and respect for the jazz tradition, and he is an accomplished technician on the instrument owing to his consistent and disciplined practice habits."

Brad is among the many who have helped José fuel his passion, but it's not just his instructors who hold José in high esteem. Jodi Proznick, another accomplished musician and educator at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) School of Music, recognized José's talent at the Surrey Jazz Festival. She says, "From the moment José began to play, it was clear that he possessed a rare musical maturity and depth well beyond his years. His performance was not only technically sound, but emotionally compelling - demonstrating a deep understanding of harmony, phrasing, and ensemble interaction."

Jose is in grade 11 at Holy Cross Regional High School in Langley. He intends to study music at Capilano University after graduation and continue his studies abroad. "I hope to make a lasting impact on the genre of jazz with my playing," says José. "I want to inspire many young musicians to become proficient in improvisation. Whether it be jazz improvisation or any musical improvisation, I hope to expand the framework of music beyond what is written on the sheet music."  

José will perform during the Festival on the Youth Stage on Sunday, July 27, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Check out his music here!

Sadie Koshan, Post Secondary School Winner

Sadie Koshan, who attended Magee Secondary School in Vancouver before moving to Montreal, recently completed her first year at McGill Schulich School of Music! She's majoring in Jazz Performance and has played the drums for four years.

"In my 20 years of academic teaching, Sadie ranks among the top tier of students I have had the pleasure of working with," says Jim Doxas, Sadie's Professor of Jazz Drums from the Department of Music Performance at McGill. "Over the course of this year, I have witnessed her develop into a much stronger musician. She is an impressive individual and is an encouraging and active participant in the Montréal music community. Her energy and outstanding musicality are a welcomed addition to the faculty!"

Sadie takes inspiration from the many mentors she's had the pleasure of working with, including Doxas, who she proudly says is a legend among the Montréal jazz community. She also expressed immense gratitude to members of VSO School of Music, where she received extensive musical training during her final years of secondary school; her high school teacher, Keith Ollerenshaw, who provided incredible opportunities to perform at festivals and work with artists-in-residence like Bill Coon, Fred Stride, Jodi Proznick and Thomas Houlden; and to the dedicated McGill faculty.

These talented musicians and teachers have inspired Sadie to want to make an impact on future generations of jazz musicians. One of Sadie's biggest mentors is Jodi Proznick. "I aim to achieve a career like Jodi's, influencing younger generations of jazz artists while sharing the joy of music performance," says Sadie. "Terry Lyn Carrington is another of my idols, inspiring my ambition to bring equal opportunity to women in jazz. One of my biggest dreams is to be a representative of women in jazz for emerging female and nonbinary jazz musicians. Knowing that I have already influenced young girls to pursue music studies fills me with great pride and joy."

"Jazz is a key part of my identity, driving my purpose to bring joy to the world through music. I have a plan, a voice, and a dream to become a well-established educator, composer, leader, drummer, and role model for future generations of music lovers!"

Watch Sadie perform at the Youth Stage at the 2025 Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival on Saturday, July 26, from 12:30 – 1:30 pm, and check out her music on YouTube here and here! 

Thank you to all the talented young artists who applied for the 2025 Rising Star Jazz Awards, and to the winners who continue to inspire the future of jazz! And stay tuned…applications will open for the 2026 Rising Star Jazz Awards in the new year. 

Past Winners

2024: Jaiden Christie, Secondary School winner, violinist, guitarist, and upright bassist and Steven Rutherford, Post-Secondary School winner, drums/percussion

2023: Milan Stanga, Secondary School winner, multi-instrumentalist and Ethan Lawrence, Post-Secondary School winner, trumpet  

2022: Hugh Penner, trumpet

2021: Amber Tsang, vocals

2020: Alvin Brendan, guitar

2019: Julian Borkowski, trumpet