Charlotte’s own Gabriela Fariñas Alfonso has won the prestigious 2026 Berklee Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Scholarship—a four-year presidential scholarship to Berklee College of Music awarded to just one outstanding student worldwide.

Gabriela’s achievement is a brilliant reflection of the incredible talent found in Charlotte, plus our uniquely supportive music community in action. Having been identified and nurtured through Tosco Music, as well as the JazzArts Academy, John Tosco introduced Gabriela to Middle C Jazz this past year. We were proud to offer our state-of-the-art stage to help capture her official submission performance.

So many incredible artists who perform on the Middle C stage— Adrian Crutchfield, Ellie Morgan, Jay D. Jones, Shana Blake, Brandon Stevens, Gena Chambers and more—gained early experience through Tosco Music’s outreach initiatives.

At Middle C Jazz, we believe our thriving music scene is built on community and collaboration and we are proud to connect with partners like Tosco Music to elevate Charlotte’s music ecosystem.

Congratulations to Gabriela as she begins her exciting journey at Berklee College of Music!