WAAPA graduate Flavio Colonetti has been awarded a 2026 Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship.
Flavio Colonetti, a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University (ECU), has been awarded a 2026 Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake a Master of Music in Jazz Studies in New York City later this year.
The scholarship places him among a distinguished group of ECU musicians who have completed Fulbright programs in the United States, including Tim White OAM, Azariah Felton, Jason Goopy and Michael Lukin.
A bridge between two worlds
Flavio Colonetti
Flavio described the award as both a personal affirmation and a professional turning point.
"It makes the dream of studying in New York a tangible reality," he said.
"Being able to focus entirely on my craft, while knowing I have the support to bring what I discover back home to the Australian jazz community, is a profound privilege."
WAAPA: a place to experiment and refine
Flavio, who graduated with Honours and received the 2025 Jazz Honours prize, credits his time at WAAPA as pivotal in preparing him for this next step.
"WAAPA was a place where I could experiment, take risks and fail safely," he said.
"It gave me the technical grounding I needed, but more importantly, it taught me how to practise, how to study deeply, research thoroughly and refine ideas over time."
Performing alongside visiting international artists, including Melissa Aldana, exposed him to the level required on the global stage, while close mentorship from WAAPA lecturers strengthened both his musicianship and artistic identity.
"My teachers constantly challenged me and pushed me to a higher standard," he said.
Equally influential were his peers.
"We held each other accountable and explored new concepts without hesitation. The environment at WAAPA created a culture of excellence. I wouldn't have come this far without the friends and collaborators I found there."
WAAPA Executive Dean Professor David Shirley congratulated Flavio on his success.
"I am delighted to see Flavio awarded a Fulbright Scholarship," he said.
"At WAAPA we aim to create an environment where artists can take creative risks and develop a distinctive voice. Flavio embraced that culture wholeheartedly, and this scholarship is a natural extension of the work he began here."
Honouring tradition, shaping the future
As a Fulbright Scholar, Flavio will undertake practice-led research aimed at developing a new improvisational language for the piano. Building on his previous research of Bud Powell's bebop vocabulary, his Master's project will focus on merging counterpoint, hand independence and advanced rhythmic concepts.
"I want to combine the counterpoint style of pianists like Eric Lewis and Brad Mehldau, and integrate rhythmic concepts inspired by artists such as Ari Hoenig and Tigran Hamasyan," he said.
"I will bring this expertise back to Australia, conducting workshops to empower the next generation of musicians with new improvisational tools and contributing to the growth of our national jazz community."
Born in Italy and classically trained in his early years, Flavio's musical direction shifted after moving to Perth at age 11. Hearing Erroll Garner play "Misty" sparked what he describes as a transformative moment.
"The harmony felt like seeing colours for the first time," he said.
Since then, he has immersed himself in the jazz tradition, learning, as he puts it, that originality begins with humility.
"To find your own voice, you must first immerse yourself in the tradition," he said.
"True originality comes from respecting the lineage and trusting the process."
The Fulbright Program, established in 1946 by Senator J. William Fulbright, is the United States' flagship international exchange program, operating in more than 160 countries and supporting more than 370,000 scholars worldwide.
