BMI Foundation Awards Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize to Joseph Herbst
New York, NY - August 22, 2023 - BMI Foundation presented saxophonist and composer Joseph Herbst with the 2023 Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize and Manny Albam Commission for his piece “Where My Dreams Go to Die?” at the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop showcase at Symphony Space in June. Judges for the award included composer/pianist Elio Villafranca, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and composer/pianist Geoffrey Keezer.
Founded in 1988, the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop is a regular meeting of emerging and/or developing jazz composers dedicated to big band composition. The Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize, established in 2000, is an award given at the final annual Workshop showcase. The prize honors the memory of legendary jazz saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker. Included with the award is the $3,000 Manny Albam Commission to write a new work for the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece modern repertory ensemble, to be premiered at the following year’s BMI Jazz Composers Workshop showcase. Previous winners of the Charlie Parker Prize have included Rufus Reid, Jamie Begian, Noriko Ueda, Darcy J. Argue, Sherisse Rogers, Asuka Kakitani, Jeff Fairbanks, and Sara Jacovino.
The evening also included the world premiere performance of the 2022 Manny Albam commissioned-work “A Little Bird Watchin’” by Helen Sung, the winner of the 2022 Charlie Parker Award.
About the award, Herbst said, “There's so much history and legacy both in the workshop and this award that it's truly an incredible honor to receive [it] and follow in the footsteps of so many amazing composers. Having the opportunity to present my music at the recital, alongside all the beautiful pieces with a stellar band, especially in a room filled with musical and compositional icons, was already a heartfelt experience. Adding [the] award to that leaves me overwhelmed in the best of ways.”
About Joseph Herbst
Composer, arranger, copyist, and saxophonist Joseph Herbst uses music as a medium for storytelling, often as part of collaborative projects, in order to push ourselves to see the world in different ways while strengthening our sense of community. In 2021, Joseph released his debut album, This is Our Environment, an evolving project that brings together original music, spoken word, and environmental justice in order to challenge our understanding of the environment to push us towards a more just and equitable society founded on a sense of community. Joseph leads his own big band and 13-piece chamber ensemble.
About the BMI Foundation
The BMI Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 to encourage the creation, performance, and study of American music. The Foundation’s programs include competitive scholarships for songwriters and composers, operating grants for nonprofit arts presenters, and support for innovative music education initiatives in schools and communities across the country. For more information about the work of the Foundation, please visit our website at www.bmifoundation.org. For exclusive news and content, follow @bmifoundation on Twitter and Instagram, and like BMI Foundation on Facebook.
Media Contact
BMI Foundation - Susan Bywaters - 212-220-3175 - susan@bmifoundation.org
