Sayre Student Wins National Arts Award

Sayre School senior Will Peters-Seymour has been named a 2019 Honorable Mention winner in Jazz Guitar by the National YoungArts Foundation.

Selected from thousands of applications, Will has been recognized for his outstanding artistic achievements along with 710 of the nation’s most promising young artists from 44 states across visual, literary, design, and performing arts.

These winners will receive access to an elite program for emerging artists that includes valuable support, financial awards up to $10,000, and performance and exhibition opportunities at the nation’s leading cultural institutions.

“We believe that every artist should be empowered to pursue a life in the arts, and we are excited to welcome our winners to the YoungArts family,” YoungArts Board Chair Sarah Arison said. “We look forward to helping provide them with the valuable opportunities and support they will need to thrive throughout their artistic journeys.”

Will travels to New York City in April when he will join a professional network of distinguished artists as part of YoungArts New York.

Will is thankful to have his sister Claire for telling him about the award, because he had never heard of the YoungArts program before.

“I also have to thank all my music teachers including Mrs. Amy Berryman and Mr. Tim Fowler,” Will said. “It is a huge honor to have been selected for this award, and I am really excited for whatever opportunities it brings me.”

Throughout the year, Will can share his 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), Baryshnikov Arts Center (New York) and New World Center (Miami).

He also will have access to the following artists: Tony Award winner Joan Lader; Grammy Award-winning percussionist Joseph Gramley; Academy Award-winning film editor Doug Blush; Obie Award-winning theater artists Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz; award-winning journalist, author and provocative cultural critic Joan Morgan; poet John Murillo; opera singers Daniela Mack and Alek Shrader; award-winning choreographer Rosie Herrera; bestselling author Kristen Simmons; and award-winning photographer Lori Hepner, among many others.

For a complete list of the 2019 winners, visit youngarts.org.