Brubeck Fellow Malachi Whitson
Malachi Whitson
As a young boy in Richmond, Calif., Malachi Whitson delighted in banging on pots and pans, the beautiful noise bringing a smile to his face. Music was a family affair, with his father playing the ukulele, his mother singing opera and an uncle jamming on guitar. The beat moved Malachi's spirit, touched his soul and transported him to a better place.
It still does.
Today, 18-year-old Malachi is a virtuoso drummer, with aspirations to form his own jazz group, earn a Ph.D. in jazz studies and become a music teacher. His participation in the two-year Brubeck Fellowship Program for exceptional young musicians has put his dreams within reach.
As a Brubeck Fellow, Malachi studies jazz in the classroom and takes it to the stage with the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, which Downbeat Magazine has repeatedly named as the nation's best collegiate jazz group. Malachi has received mentoring from jazz great and Brubeck guest artist Gregory Hutchinson, gained an appreciation of classical, African and Brazilian music, and grown as a man.
"The support I've received here is beautiful and flowing in all directions. The teachers, students and directors here all have nothing but love and encouragement to give," Malachi says. "The program has opened my mind, both as a musician and as a person."