Young Alumni Fund Grantee Zachary Mowitz on Turning Support into Impact
Meet Zachary Mowitz (Cello ’19, Community Artist Fellow ’23), one of our 2025 Young Alumni Fund (YAF) grantees and co-founder of Nodality Music, a nonprofit arts organization that cultivates narrative-driven musical experiences. This special fund provides recent Curtis alumni with grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to remove barriers to success as emerging artists. Below, Zachary discusses his YAF-funded project and shares why the YAF grant has been so meaningful to his success.
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By Zachary Mowitz
This support came at a pivotal moment. For the first time, I was no longer connected to a school—and at the same time, I was becoming more serious about Nodality.
My idea for this YAF-funded project was simple enough: Find composers who have something personal to say about their connection with the natural world, and get them to write pieces about it. I also [wanted to] create safe spaces for audiences to examine their own relationship with the environment—and engage with the complex realities of climate change.
The YAF grant sparked significant momentum. It allowed me to commission new works by three different composers—Juantio Becenti, Rene Orth, and Elijah Daniel Smith—which led to a world premiere this fall at Western University this fall. We have plans to premiere additional works at a series I’m curating in L.A. next season.
Having these initial commissions in place provided a strong foundation as I organized new projects and applied for more grants and opportunities—including my forthcoming series in L.A., which uses chamber music to help Angelinos understand their place within broader ecologies.
The individual experiences I’ve had since receiving the award are even more profound. I’ve been able to connect with colleagues and audiences on incredibly deep levels around a cause that is important to me. The fact that this support came from the school where I spent my formative years has only made those experiences all the more meaningful.
Interested in applying to a 2026 grant? The current YAF application cycle is open until Sunday, February 15. Learn more about the criteria and apply today.
