Composer Portraits: Lisa Bielawa

Composer and vocalist Lisa Bielawa—a 2023 Guggenheim Fellow and a Rome Prize winner—creates music that The New York Times has described as “ruminative, pointillistic, and harmonically slightly tart.” She takes inspiration for her work from literary sources and close artistic collaborations, and often incorporates community-making as part of her artistic vision. The dynamic Contemporaneous ensemble makes their Miller debut performing alongside the composer.

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The 2026 First Commission Award - Amil Abumrad

Composers Now also proudly presents the 2026 First Commission Award to Amil Abumrad. Amil's composer mentor is Derek Bermel.

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The work, "I Am America," is based on poems by Walt Whitman, "I Hear America Singing," and Langston Hughes, "I, Too." Members of The Dessoff Choirs, Malcolm J. Merriweather, Music Director will premiere the piece at the 2026 Composers Now Festival Kick-off concert on January 28, 2026, at the National Sawdust.

Amil Abumrad is a 16-year-old junior at Special Music School where he studies composition. He started his musical journey with classical piano and developed an interest in jazz during middle school. Influenced by his early love for Bill Evans, Amil enjoys incorporating jazz harmonies into his compositions. His works have been performed by a big band at Merkin Hall and workshopped with the Attacca Quartet. Amil is of Lebanese, Filipino, and South Asian heritage and lives in New York City.

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2026 Composers Now Festival

Composers Now Launches 15th Annual Festival with a Kick-Off Concert at National Sawdust

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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 evening begins with a special 15th anniversary pre‑concert celebration at Sea Thai from 5:00 to 6:30 PM, honoring the organization’s legacy of championing living composers across New York City and beyond.

This year’s Festival Kick‑Off concert celebrates the extraordinary breadth of contemporary musical voices and the collaborative spirit that defines Composers Now. Throughout February, the Festival unites presenters and performers from every corner of the city—renowned venues, cutting‑edge ensembles, visionary opera and musical theater companies, and innovative dance organizations—to spotlight the work of today’s composers. At every event, composers are present, engaged, and in conversation with audiences, reinforcing the Festival’s commitment to visibility, community, and artistic exchange.

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. Visit composersnow.org for the full schedule.

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For more information about Composers Now, please visit www.composers.now.org

To join the 15th anniversary pre-concert reception, click HERE

For Kick-off concert ticketing information, click HERE