UArts Music Student Wins Prestigious Clifton Foundation Emerging Artists Award

University of the Arts School of Music junior Alexandre Delcourt '18 (Music Performance) was honored at the third annual Catherine R. and Anthony A. Clifton Foundation Emerging Artists Awards ceremony on May 3. The event was held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts' Perelman Theater, and spotlighted five exceptional young music students, each of whom received a $5,000 tuition award. Each of the winners performed, with Delcourt playing his own composition, Paperplane, accompanied by fellow UArts musicians Chien Chien Liu MM '17 (Jazz Studies) on vibes, Conner Saltzer BM '16 (Drums) and Zion Fritzinger '18 (Guitar).

At UArts, Delcourt is a member of the school’s nationally-recognized "Z" Big Band, performing with the ensemble when it took first place at the prestigious Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival this spring. 

"Alex carries a 3.9 grade point average and plays bass in our renowned 'Z' Big Band," said School of Music Director Micah Jones.  "He’s simply an amazing student."

Born in Versailles, France, Delcourt started studying bass when he was 14 years old, but music has always sparked his curiosity. He fondly remembers receiving his first radio from his parents: "I couldn’t stop messing around with the bass boost button. I could feel the bass vibrations on the walls and in my body. It felt amazing."

 While in Paris, at the age of 18, he began to pursue a music degree, studying at the American School of Modern Music, and taking weekly Skype lessons with Philadelphia-based bass player Steve Beskrone.

At the end of 2013, in order to expand his musical skills and get closer to the origins of American music, he moved to Philadelphia, completing an exchange program and then continuing as a full-time student at the University of the Arts. "When I moved to Philadelphia, I felt that I found the epicenter of what I was looking for: the luxury of studying with my heroes and being surrounded by so many talented musicians, each with their own unique sounds."

He also has performed regularly in venues across Philadelphia, and plays bass for the Tyree AME Church each Sunday. In the summer of 2016, he began playing in New York City at different places such as Rockwood Music Hall with the John Venezia project and Tavern on The Green with the Marry Ellen Desmond quartet.  He is also finding ways to grow musically and personally by exploring future volunteer opportunities in the Philadelphia area as well as composing original music for his upcoming CD.