Chicago Jazz String Summit
2026 | 2027
"The mission of the CJSS is to recognize outstanding improvising string players - past and present - and encourage the future! CJSS brings new audiences to the global community of 21st c. string players who are expanding the boundaries of artistic expression. "
William Ferris Chorale
2026 | 2027
Chicago’s leading voice in new music, WFC seeks to redefine “choir.” At the forefront of Chicago’s contemporary music scene for over 50 years, and with over 200 premiere performances, we expand choral repertoire through the performance of living composers sharing exciting, unexpected sounds.
TRQPiTECA RECORDS
2026 | 2027
TRQPiTECA is a platform dedicated to creative expression in dance music. Founded by artists Natalie Murillo (La Spacer) & Jacquelyn Carmen Guerrero (Disc Jacqui) in 2015, TRQPITECA has staged 500+ artists from Chicago and around the world. TRQPITECA RECORDS is an emerging boutique retail shop and production studio celebrating Chicago’s dance music legacy with space for new music and visual media.
The.BlkRoom
2026 | 2027
The.BlkRoom is a Chicago-based co-creation studio empowering Black and Brown artists and creatives since 2021. Our space offers a safe, inclusive space for emerging and seasoned artists with a tiered membership program catered to meet creatives where they are and propel them to where they hope to be. With a vibrant community of over 7,000 community members and growing, the organization hosts showcase events, educational workshops, and holds space for special projects —most recently launching our Corridor Visual Arts Gallery, and the Bloom Residency for Black women — featured on Block Club Chicago. Committed to fostering inclusivity, creativity, and empowerment, The.BlkRoom strives to continue to grow as a hub for Chicago’s artistic community on the west side.
playOUT!
2026 | 2027
playOUT! is a Chicago-based LGBTQIA+ performing arts organization amplifying queer voices in classical music through performances, commissions, and community partnerships. Through inclusive artistic experiences and community-centered storytelling, playOUT! celebrates LGBTQIA+ artists and fosters spaces of belonging, creativity, and cultural connection.
Missing Piece
20226 | 2027
Missing Piece is a south side Chicago-based ensemble commissioning new works and providing transformative musical experiences through performance and education. Founders Dan Galat and Kelly Quesada collaborate with other artists and organizations to inspire audiences to connect with their community, care for our environment, listen deeply to ourselves and others, and speak out against injustice.
Gaudete Brass
2026 | 2027
Founded in Chicago in 2004, the Gaudete Brass strives to build community through music. We perform, crafting memorable, meaningful experiences with music. We educate musicians and non-musicians alike by deepening understanding and connection through music. We expand the chamber repertoire through inventive programming and collaboration with composers.
Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum
2026 | 2027
The Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum is a cultural institution dedicated to preserving, documenting, and celebrating the history and ongoing impact of hip hop in Chicago. Through exhibitions, programming, and community partnerships, it elevates the voices, contributions, and legacy of artists while connecting hip hop culture to education, storytelling, and civic engagement.
Beyond This Point
2026 | 2027
Chicago-based collective ensemble Beyond This Point transforms the live performance experience by presenting adventurous programs that synthesize musical performance with other creative disciplines.
Art Song Chicago
2026 | 2027
Art Song Chicago seeks to make Chicago a world-class home for the study and performance of art song and vocal chamber music repertoire by curating performances and providing educational opportunities.
AfriClassical Futures
2026 | 2027
Discover classical music reimagined. Curated by olula negre and Julian Otis, AfriClassical Futures celebrates visionary Black artists shaping the genre's future. Experience powerful performances followed by honest, open conversations. Together, we explore the rich intersections of the African Diaspora and Western art music in a welcoming, boundary-breaking community.
~Nois Quartet
2026 | 2027
~Nois Quartet is a Chicago-based ensemble dedicated to championing new music for saxophone and building community through innovative, inclusive, and exceptional musical experiences.
Next Jazz Legacy
Siya Charles
2026 | 2027
Trombonist, Composer, Arranger | Bandleader: Ingrid Jensen; Creative Mentor: Steve Davis
Next Jazz Legacy
Sequoia “REDWOOD” Snyder
2026 | 2027
Producer, Composer, Producer, Bandleader | Bandleader: Braxton Cook; Creative Mentor: Aneesa Strings
Next Jazz Legacy
Devon Gates
2026 | 2027
Bassist, Vocalist, Composer | Bandleader: Jason Moran; Creative Mentor: Dianne Reeves
Next Jazz Legacy
Destiny “Lé Queen” Diggs
2026 | 2027
Bassist, Bandleader, Composer | Bandleader: Jeff Watts; Creative Mentor: Cecile McLorin Salvant
Next Jazz Legacy
Allison Philips
2026 | 2027
Trumpeter, Bandleader, Composer | Bandleader: Allison Miller; Creative Mentor: Andrew Cyrille
Next Jazz Legacy
Alden Hellmuth
2026 | 2027
Saxophonist, Bandleader, Composer | Bandleader: Sylvie Courvoisier; Creative Mentor: Ingrid Laubrock
Next Jazz Legacy
Lily Finnegan
2026 | 2027
Drummer, Composer, Improviser, Organizer | Bandleader: Camae Ayewa; Creative Mentor: Marilyn Crispell
Monday Evening Concerts
2025 | 2026
Founded in 1939 by Peter Yates and Frances Mullen in their modest Rudolf Schindler-designed Silverlake home, Monday Evening Concerts (MEC) is the world's longest-running series devoted to contemporary music. Originally envisioned as a forum for displaced European emigrés and virtuoso Hollywood studio musicians to sink their teeth into the most challenging solo and chamber music of the day (such as the works of Charles Ives, Alexander Scriabin, Erik Satie, John Cage and Béla Bartók), MEC has blossomed its way to international acclaim for its presentation of demanding, uncompromising and poetically-charged music – whether new or ancient.
South Side Symphony
2025 | 2026
Dr. Marcus Norris founded South Side Symphony with the idea “What if orchestras didn’t exist, and were invented today by a young Black man?” He describes the sound as “like if Quincy Jones grew up on 90s R&B and Rap.”
Resonance Collective
2025 | 2026
The Resonance Collective inspires and nurtures collective spirit by expanding our understanding of sound and music as a mystical experience. We create interdisciplinary theatrical narratives based on spiritual transformation for our Original Works program. We curate music from traditions around the world in the Golden Thread Concert Series. We educate musicians during the annual N.E.O. Voice Festival.
Piano Spheres
2025 | 2026
Piano Spheres supports and encourages the composition and performance of major new works for the piano while, mentoring the next generation of emerging pianists. It enlarges the piano repertoire by commissioning new works and sustaining a concert series that focuses primarily on works by contemporary composers.
Oracle Egg
2025 | 2026
Oracle Egg is an artist-run incubator supporting new and ambitious work by both emerging and established artists in the field of experimental music and performance. Central to our mission is our residency series, which grants 3 to 7 day of unrestricted access to our downtown loft space to develop new, boundary-pushing work.
