November 15, 2023 I Award, Philanthropy
Kolstein Celebrates Annual Samuel J. Kolstein Memorial Award Winner
From left: Barrie Kolstein, winner Madalena Kozol and Manny Alvarez.
Kolstein Music’s President Manny Alvarez continued the New York-based string shop’s annual tradition of donating a double bass instrument to the International Society of Bassists (ISB) Annual Convention this past summer. Each year, the ISB selects a student who is deserving of the Samuel J. Kolstein Memorial Award, named after the founder of the Kolstein Music. This donation highlights Alvarez’s personal mantra about giving back to the MI community.
During this year’s event, held last summer at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Madalena Kozol received a Grand Panormo model double bass crafted by the son of Kolstein Music’s founder, Barrie Kolstein.
“How would these people pick me out of all these amazing and talented bass players? After the concert, I stayed in the concert hall and played my new Kolstein bass for an hour before we went to the evening concert event,” Kozol said. “Everything about the bass felt like it was meant for me, and I’m definitely going to play it for my whole life. I’m so grateful for the ISB Convention, my parents and all the great teachers and people at the convention. And to Kolstein Music, Barrie Kolstein, his late father Samuel Kolstein and Manny Alvarez. This was life changing and I’m so grateful that you thought I was the kid for it. I will never forget that moment and I absolutely love playing my new bass. Thank you so much.”
Alvarez said that Kolstein became a huge fan of Kozol and the store’s team feels it’s important to nurture and encourage her craft. Kozol aims to participate in future classical and jazz music opportunities and plans to audition for the LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) National Festival next summer with conductor and music director Gustavo Dudamel.
