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Providing a Path to Interlochen: Leeds and Mitchell Endowed Voice Scholarship
Jan J. “JJ” Leeds credits her time at Interlochen (IAA 67-71, IAC 67-71) with greatly impacting both her professional and personal life, from helping her to launch her career in opera and musical theatre to connecting her with her husband Taylor, whom she met at Camp in 1967. She established the Jan J. Leeds and Taylor Mitchell Endowed Academy Scholarship in Voice to encourage the many talented singers—especially those studying classical performance—who lack the financial means to attend Interlochen.
“I think that Interlochen is an oasis for young musicians who need an environment that nourishes and encourages them in the art, and where they can have a shared experience with like-minded young adults,” said JJ. “I want to encourage young singers who apply to Interlochen and give them help.”
She hopes that her example will prompt other alumni to consider where they would be in their lives if Interlochen had not been a part of theirs, and to encourage them to give back. By investing in the next generation of singers, JJ honors what Interlochen once meant to her, and what it still means to her today, as it continues to add meaning to her life.
Providing this endowed scholarship supports my belief that Interlochen is here forever. Arts are critical for the survival of our society. Without the arts, there is no humanity.