Catch some of the year’s best big band and jazz orchestra compositions produced at the 36th Annual Summer Showcase, presented by the the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, on June 20.
The evening will feature the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece modern repertory ensemble made up of leading New York musicians, performing eight new compositions developed in the workshop this season.
Musical Director Andy Farber returns for his ninth year leading the program, joined by Assistant Musical Director and three-time GRAMMY nominee Alan Ferber. Farber, who teaches jazz composition and arranging at The Juilliard School, has arranged for artists such as Shirley Horn and Jon Hendricks, as well as major symphony orchestras including the Boston Pops. In addition to his work, Farber composes music for television commercials, web series, documentaries, and feature films.
Ferber, in his seventh year with the program, is a DownBeat Poll-winning trombonist, a multi-GRAMMY-nominated composer and arranger, and a bandleader with nine albums. He has contributed to over 150 recordings, collaborating with artists like Esperanza Spalding, Miguel Zenon, Paul Simon, Sufjan Stevens, and Dr. Dre. He currently teaches composition and arranging at New York University and Montclair State University, where he also directs the NYU Jazz Orchestra.
The BMI Foundation will present the 26th Annual Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize to the composer of the best new work created during this year’s BMI Jazz Composers Workshop. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges including Adam Birnbaum, Dave Douglas, and Scott Healy. Previous judges have featured notable figures such as Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, and Ingrid Jensen. In addition to the prize, the winning composer will receive the Manny Albam Commission, named in honor of the Workshop’s co-founder and longtime musical director, to compose a new piece for the 2026 showcase.
Since its founding in 1939, BMI has demonstrated a lasting commitment to the jazz community through its continued support of the Jazz Composers Workshop and its members. With more than 80 years of experience, BMI® stands as a global leader in music rights management, advocating for the value of music and the creators behind it. The organization represents public performance rights for over 22.4 million musical works by more than 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and publishers. BMI negotiates licensing agreements and ensures that royalties are fairly distributed when music is performed publicly. Its pioneering open-door policy, established in 1939, set BMI apart as the only performing rights organization to embrace creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, BMI’s extensive catalog spans all musical genres and consistently includes some of the most performed songs worldwide.
The free, public event begins at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway in New York City. For more information and the latest updates from BMI, visit their bmi.com.
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