Natixis Investment Managers Announces 2019 George Wein Jazz Ambassador Scholarship Winners

Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis), presenting sponsor of the Newport Jazz Festival, today announced that Matthew Pearl and Luca Simeone have been awarded the 2019 George Wein Jazz Ambassador Scholarship. Natixis awards the scholarships annually, in coordination with the Newport Festivals Foundation, to young artists who have shown tremendous music ability, strong academic achievement, and a commitment to giving back to their communities. Pearl, of Marlborough, Mass., and Simeone, of Kingston, R.I., will be presented with the scholarships during the Newport Jazz Festival taking place Aug. 2-4 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I.

Natixis Investment Managers, one of the world’s largest asset management firms,¹ has been presenting sponsor of the Newport Jazz Festival since 2011 and has awarded $5,000 scholarships to twenty aspiring college-bound musicians over that period. The scholarships are named in celebration of George Wein, the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and an ambassador for jazz music, who has spent his life working to bring people together through the power of jazz.

“We are proud to partner with the Newport Festivals Foundation to present the legendary Newport Jazz Festival,” said David Giunta, CEO of the US for Natixis Investment Managers. “We also look forward to recognizing two students who use music to convey creativity, diversity, and innovation – tenets that Natixis encourages in our business and our people.”

Giunta will present the Natixis scholarships to Matthew Pearl and Luca Simeone on the Fort Stage on Saturday, Aug. 3, before the performance of Grammy- and Tony Award-winning jazz giant Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Matthew Pearl, a tenor saxophone player, is a graduate of Marlborough High School. He is a member of the Massachusetts Music Education Association All-State Jazz Band and loves to communicate with others through music. Pearl has an “astute ability for improvisation and jazz interpretation” and will continue studying jazz at the University of Hartford in the fall.

Trumpet player Luca Simeone will perform at the festival with the Rhode Island Music Education Association Senior All-State Jazz Band on Sunday, Aug. 4 on the Harbor Stage. He is a graduate of South Kingston High School (R.I.) and appreciates the inclusivity and authenticity of individual expression of jazz. Simeone will focus on music performance and music composition at the University of Rhode Island.

Natixis’ music initiatives are part of its Together for Better℠ philanthropic outreach program, which creates important and lasting change by combining its resources and passions with the power of change-making community partners. Child by child, family by family, community by community, they are changing the world. Together for Better.

About Natixis Investment Managers

Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of 24 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking^® to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis Investment Managers ranks among the world’s largest asset management firms¹ with $960.3 billion / €855.4 billion AUM.² The firm spreads its thoughtful, innovative ideas in the global community by sponsoring programs that help enrich the lives of individuals and preserve the cultural experience for future generations through music. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers | Twitter: twitter.com/NatixisIM | Instagram: instagram.com/NatixisIM.

About Newport Festivals Foundation

Newport Festivals Foundation fosters the legacy and expands the impact of its Festivals through educational initiatives that celebrate innovation while preserving the deep traditions inherent in Jazz and Folk music. The Foundation’s goal is to offer opportunity, inspire through exposure, and facilitate the collection of resources needed for musicians to celebrate and innovate. The focus on creating unique experiences to spark engagement is accomplished through a variety of initiatives, including instrument donations and performances at schools throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information, please visit newportfestivals.org.

¹ Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2018 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 16th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2017.

² Net asset value as of March 31, 2019. Assets under management (“AUM”), as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.

Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, L.P., a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, and Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg) and its affiliated distribution entities in Europe and Asia.

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