The Draylen Mason Fellows Program honors the legacy of Draylen Mason by furthering the musical and personal development of a select group of high school students. Over the course of one year, Draylen Mason Fellows design and lead an original capstone performance that draws inspiration from a social justice issue collectively chosen by the cohort. Now in year 6, 32 students have completed DMFP and 100% of DMFP graduates are attending colleges (in music and other fields) including Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, New York University, Sacramento State University, Texas A&M, Texas State University, UT-Austin, UNT, UTSA, and the University of Southern California.
This project is supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
The Draylen Mason Fellows Program is generously supported by Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge and the National Endowment for the Arts.
DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS RECEIVE:
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Fellows can travel and attend conferences, and receive a monetary stipend to offset costs related to the development of their creative work.
MUSICAL COACHING
Fellows receive individual musical instruction and mentorship and have access to a local national network of musicians, mentors, and past fellows.
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
Fellows work together throughout the year on a capstone performance project that uses art as a means to bridge divides in their community.
Interested in applying for the Draylen Mason Fellows Program?
Read about the application requirements, review the required materials here, and apply below:
Find out a little bit more about the Draylen Mason Fellows Program from the first class of fellows in 2018-2019.
You will hear from Barbara, Angie, Sarah, and Cristal.
ABOUT DRAYLEN MASON
Draylen practicing before a Solo and Ensemble Festival performance in March 2017 with Austin Soundwaves.
A gifted musician, friend, student, colleague, and community member, Draylen was for six years a member and backbone of Austin Soundwaves, where he played bass in orchestra, band, chamber music, and mariachi.
Draylen participated in all that music had to offer him, and spent summers with the Sacramento Youth Symphony, and the Interlochen Arts Academy. He was a member of the Austin Youth Orchestra’s Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestra, Austin Chamber Music Center’s Young Artist’s Academy, and Golden Hornet’s Young Composers Project. Draylen was also part of the YOLA National Festival Orchestra, playing with musicians from El Sistema-inspired programs from across the country at venues including the Aspen Music Festival and Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, where he was conducted by the Los Angeles Philharmonic music director, Gustavo Dudamel.
Dray’s future was bright as he headed toward graduation from high school, having been accepted at some of the country’s most prestigious music schools, including UT-Austin, UNT College of Music, and the Oberlin Conservatory. Draylen left a hole in the hearts of all that knew him, but we hope to play some small and meaningful part and allowing the world to know Dray as we did.
2024-25 DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS AND MENTORS
Xavier Briones
Guitar
Leslie fLORES-Palafox
Clarinet
Yvette Gilanna Zuarez
Saxophone
aLFREDO gONZALEZ
Violin
LuisMiguel Martinez
Percussion and Piano
Bryan Torres
Saxophone
Jordyn Broaders
DMFP Mentor; 2023-24 Fellow
Michael Chong
DMFP Mentor; 2022-23 Fellow
Allyson Chu
DMFP Mentor; 2021-22 Fellow
Elif Painaik
DMFP Mentor; 2022-23 Fellow
Travis Gustavo Ortiz
DMFP Mentor; 2023-24 Fellow
Vic Ducea
DMFP Mentor; 2023-24 Fellow
2023-24 DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS AND MENTORS
Jordyn Broaders
Sophomore, Flute
VIC DUCEA
Junior, Clarinet
cERYS fREER
Senior, Clarinet
Davi Garza
Senior, Piano
Travis Gustavo Ortiz
Senior, Cello
Allyson Chu
DMFP Mentor; 2021-22 Fellow
Michael Chong
DMFP Mentor; 2022-23 Fellow
Cristal Martinez Perez
DMFP Mentor; 2018-19 Fellow
Apply to be part of the 2025-26 Draylen Mason Fellows Program.
2022-2023 DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS AND MENTORS
elijah andrew jones
Michael chong
angel carrizales
Unity Laws
Ileana Martinez Yáñez
Iris Martinez
Erikka Middleton
Elif Painaik
2021-2022 DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS
mARIA AYALA-ORTIZ
ALLYSON CHU
Camryn Mwalwanda
kENDALL martin
NAOMI NOLASCO
SHA’KRISTEN WILSON
2020-2021 DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS
Thank you to the Community Advisory Board for helping launch the Draylen Mason Fellows Program!
Diana Burgess
Mother Falcon Music Lab
Penny Brandt
Wagner College
William Dick
Austin Youth Orchestra
Amanda Faraone
(formerly of KMFA 89.5)
Sarah Beth Gooding
Armstrong Community Music School
Jeni Gossard
Austin Chamber Music Center
Matt Kufchak
Knock (formerly with KMFA)
Kate Murray
(formerly Golden Hornet Project)
Shamika Wilson
Mother of Draylen Mason
Jacqueline Vidal
Garza High School
DRAYLEN MASON FELLOWS PROGRAM DONORS
(as of July 2024)
Helen Austerlitz
William T. Baker Jr.
Peter Bay
Karen Bell
Ray Beran
Anna Brandt
Kerstin Breidenthal
Liz Cass
Sharon Casteel
Laura Clarke
Karen Cleary
Trina Collins
Laura Dahl
Lynne Dobson
Corinth Missionary Baptist Church
Meryl Dominguez
Sandra Donover
Elizabeth DuQuette
Tamara Dworetz
Judith Fairey
Joshua Fink
Robert J. Fullerton
Catherine Gauger
Michele Gizelbach
Debbie Gossett
Mary Anne Hardy
Laura Hawkins
Alyssa Hensel
Dealey Herndon
Ernestine Houston
Christine Howard
Larry R. Hygh Jr
Laura Jekel
Susan Jelcich
Robert & Gloria Jones
Andrea Kalyn
David Kaplovitz
Joseph Kelble
Stephen Kidd
Edward Kwon
Susan Lamb
Kathy E Lansford
Maria O. Leal-McBride
Elizabeth Lilly
Robert Lindauer
Clarissa Lyons
Joe Maloney
Bruce E. & Estrellita P. Mason
LaVonne Mason
Timothy McCarthy
Peter McCoy
Luis Medina
Hedrich Michaelsen
Alicia Kae Miller
Eric Miller
Warren Moody Jr
Ellen Morrissey
Elizabeth Murphy
Lydia Orr & Family
Carla Petievich
Matt Polidoro
Lisa Polsby
Jordan Price
Jonathan Ramirez
Rick Robinson
Anna Roenigk
Jane Sandberg
Julie Schriber
Yevgeniy Sharlat
Patricia & Nathaniel Shelton
Lisa Soo Hoo
Jory Strosberg
Jane Sullivan
Soll Sussman
Lisa Townsend
Isabel Trautwein
Seth Truby
Peter Uhrig
Heather Venard
Gwendolyn J. Walker
Roosevelt Washington
Rachel Wetter
Charles William Lee Sr
Nancy Wilson
Jodi Wygmans
Mt. Sinai Church COA Health Department
Beta Psi Omega Chapter
Madison Square Chapter No 39
Austin Endodontics
Gamma Gamma Boule Foundation
Interested in applying for the Draylen Mason Fellows Program?
Read more about the application requirements, review the required materials here, and apply below.