2026 Composers Now Festival Kick-Off Concert
Composers Now proudly announces the launch of its 15th annual Composers Now Festival with a landmark opening‑night concert on January 28 at 7:30 PM at National Sawdust.
The 15th anniversary concert honors Visionary Award recipients Rhiannon Giddens and Billy Childs for their profound contributions to American art. The program features works by Kavita Shah, Pauchi Sasaki, Ileana Perez Velazquez, Trevor Weston, Jake Blount, and Jessica Shand, performed by acclaimed artists including violinist Mari Kimura, cellist Mihai Marica, and others.
Composers Now also proudly presents the world premiere of a new work by Amil Abumrad, this year’s First Commission recipient, performed with members of The Dessoff Choirs, Malcolm J. Merriweather, Music Director.
The evening additionally includes a short video highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration, offering a behind‑the‑scenes look at composer Younje Cho and filmmaker Renu Savant during their 2025 residency at the Pocantico Center—a partnership between Composers Now and the Asian Cultural Council, supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Join us for this extraordinary celebration of living composers and the vibrant artistic community that surrounds them. Festival events continue throughout February.
