TRYON, N.C. - s4story -- The Nina Simone and Samuel Waymon Music Scholarship Fund has announced the rules and application procedures for its 2026/27 scholarship cycle, honoring the legacies of Eunice Waymon (Nina Simone) and her brother, Dr. Samuel Waymon, both natives of Tryon, North Carolina.

The fund supports young musicians in the Southeastern United States who demonstrate exceptional talent, passion, and dedication to music. Eligible applicants must be ages 15 through 25 as of January 1, 2027, and must maintain a principal home address in one of the following jurisdictions: Alabama, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. Applicants must also be enrolled in a bona fide music program at the high school, collegiate, or graduate level, or actively pursuing a career in music as a performer, composer, singer, musician, arranger, or songwriter. Selection is based solely on talent, passion, and commitment to the craft.

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Applications open August 15, 2026 and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2027. Finalists will be announced March 1, 2027. Interviews will be held during the week of March 8, 2027, and final scholarship recipients will be announced March 15, 2027.

Applicants must submit a completed application, two letters of recommendation, a performance video, and a 500 to 1,000-word essay responding to the prompts included in the application packet. Completed materials should be emailed to: scholarship@africanconnections.com.

Internationally known pianist and conductor Awadagin Pratt will appear in a benefit concert at the Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Avenue, Tryon, NC 28782, on Saturday, October 3, 2026, with proceeds supporting the Nina Simone and Samuel Waymon Music Scholarship Fund.

Those wishing information on sponsorship and/or advertising opportunities are asked to phone: +1 831 440-7002 or email: sponsorship@africanconnections.com

The full scholarship overview and application forms are available online at:

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https://africanconnections.com/simone_waymon.html

Catered by the popular Hare and Hound Pub, a post concert "meet and greet" will be held in the lobby of the Tryon Fine Arts Center immediately following Mr. Pratt's October 3rd performance.

Well-positioned among the most important regional performing arts centers in the Eastern United States, the Tryon Fine Arts Center (TFAC) is located within a comfortable driving distance from Asheville, NC; Hendersonville, NC; Spartanburg, SC; Greenville, SC; Brevard, NC; Eastern Tennessee and the Charlotte, NC metro area.

The Nina Simone and Samuel Waymon Music Scholarship Fund is fiscally sponsored by The AFRICAN CONNECTIONS Research and Education Fund, Inc.