Saulsbury Fund Supports Budding Musician
With urging from his wife Ilene, Robert Saulsbury transferred his father’s private foundation to The Community Foundation in 2001. The reason? To ensure the continued growth of the scholarship bearing his father’s name.
Today, the Curtis M. Saulsbury Scholarship Fund provides young people the opportunity to obtain an education in music. It also pays tribute to a New Haven native and musician who devoted his life to singing and teaching religious, popular and classical music.
During Curtis’ lifetime, he contributed proceeds and donations from his scholarship benefit concerts to his private foundation.
Four decades after his death, donations from family and friends continue his legacy of giving to make the future brighter for talented young people, like Christian Sands (left). Sands is attending the Manhattan School of Music with help from the Saulsbury scholarship and will be graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance in May 2011. He is already considered a ‘rising star” in the world of jazz, having played with such greats as Oscar Peterson at the GRAMMY’s Salute to Jazz.
"I have been awarded many opportunities by attending college just to mention a few. I have been nominated for a Grammy for 2010 Best Latin Jazz Pianist as well as perform with some of the leading jazz musicians," says Christian. "I am an ambassador of Jazz at MSM. I will be touring with Christian McBride upon graduation and I am currently working on an independent movie project as the music director."
Christian participates in the music mentoring program YAI foundation in New York for youth outreach through music. He was also the Music Director for Rebecca Gruber for her New York Showcase Debut and performed at Dizzy Club Coca Cola for Jazz in Lincoln Center, as well as, at the Jackie Robinson Foundation Awards Dinner for Bill Cosby, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Russell Simmons.
“It is my intent to utilize this gift of education to my fullest potential,” says Sands.
Like the Saulsbury's, you or someone you know can create a lasting legacy through a permanent endowment that benefits the community for generations. To learn more, please contact Angela Powers at apowers@cfgnh.org or 203-777-7068.
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