The 2026 Composers Now Festival highlights performances of the music of living composers throughout the month of February 2026.

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REGISTER YOUR EVENT HERE

Participation is free for February 2026 events celebrating music by living composers, across all genres, formats, and productions.

In exchange for simple cross-promotion, participants gain national exposure through the Composers Now Festival calendar, media outreach, and social media features.

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The 2026 Composers Now Festival Opening Event will take place on January 28th at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY.

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 under the direction of Malcolm J. Merriweather. 

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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