ISJAC Prizes
Portal opens late summer 2025
Every year ISJAC offers prizes for jazz composers and arrangers who are current members of ISJAC. From emerging writers to seasoned pros, these prizes are available for a range of instrumentation, from lead sheet composition to big band arranging. In partnership with iJazz Music, the University of South Florida, Jazzcomposerspresent.com and several generous donors, ISJAC offers over $10k yearly in prizes for composers from all walks of the industry. The prize cycle starts late summer/early fall and winners are announced the following February.
The 2025 prize portal opens in September 2025.
The Upcoming 2025 Prizes
The ISJAC/USF Owen Prize in Jazz Composition - $1500
Open to any student, age 26 or under at the time of submission, currently enrolled full-time in an accredited, degree-granting institution, regardless of major, age, or nationality*
The ISJAC/USF Prize for Emerging Black Composers - $1500
Open to any composer, age 35 or under at the time of submission, who identifies as Black, regardless of nationality*
The ISJAC Rule Beasley Prize in Lead Sheet Composition - $1500
Open to all jazz arrangers regardless of age or nationality*
The ISJAC/iJazz Music Peter Herbolzheimer Arranging Prize - $1500
Open to all jazz composers regardless of age or nationality*
The ISJAC/Fundamental Freedoms Commission Prize - $2500
Open to all female and nonbinary-identifying composers, regardless of nationality*
*Please be aware that if the prize recipient is not a U.S. citizen, there may be additional government and transaction fees/taxes withheld
Past Prize Recipients
Next Decade Commission:
2025 - Geoffrey Keezer: Title TBD (Will be premiered at our Honors Celebration & Fundraiser)
Fundamental Freedoms Commission:
2025 - Vanessa Perica: Title TBD (Will be premiered at our Honors Celebration & Fundraiser)
2023 - Meg Okura: "Silent Screams: An Anthem for the Unheard"
2021 – Lauren Elizabeth Baba: “Frankincense”
ISJAC/USF OWEN PRIZE IN JAZZ COMPOSITION
2025 - Eric Weaver: "Staring in the Night"
2024 – Sam Parnin: “Auburn”
2023 – Ariel Sha Glassman: “What You Are Speaks”
2022 – Daiki Nakajima: “Nostalgic Already”
2021 – Robert Buonaspina: “Smile Pretty”
2020 – Eri Chichibu: “The Sea – Seven Years Voyage”
2019 - Zach Rich: “Story of the Mad Hatter”
ISJAC/USF PRIZE FOR EMERGING BLACK COMPOSERS
2025 - Daahoud Salim: "Katanga"
2024 – Michael R. Dudley, Jr.: “Overture to the Before & After Times”
2023 – Ennis Harris: “Eye in the Sky”
2022 – Roella Morayo Marie Oloro: “L’Esprit de Joie”
2021 – Courtney Wright: “Like Thad”
2021 – Joseph Borsellino: “Police State”
ISJAC/IJAZZ MUSIC WAYNE SHORTER JAZZ ARRANGING PRIZE
2025 - Roisel Suarez: "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum"
2024 – Danny Jonokuchi:“Ping Pong”
ISJAC/IJAZZ MUSIC ROB PRONK JAZZ ARRANGING PRIZE
2025 - Tobias Hoffmann: "Bipolarity"
ISJAC/RULE BEASLEY PRIZE IN LEAD SHEET COMPOSITION
2025 - Matteo Prefumo: "The Way it Is"
Learn about the generous partners and donors support our prize program...
About Rule Beasley
Rule Beasley has enjoyed a rich and diverse musical career spanning seven decades. His journey in music began with his service in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1956, where he performed, composed, and arranged for the Army big band and wind ensemble. After his military service, Beasley became the Principal Bassoonist for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra from 1968 to 1973 and played with the Dallas Wind Symphony from 1993 to 1998, all while maintaining an active jazz performance schedule in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.Beasley’s academic career started at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, before he moved to the University of North Texas, where he taught arranging, jazz improvisation, composition, and bassoon. Later, he relocated to Los Angeles and joined Santa Monica College, where he spent 20 years teaching theory, composition, and counterpoint until his retirement in 1993. Upon retiring, he returned to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and resumed his performance activities. Throughout his career, Beasley composed over 30 original scores, which have been performed by various ensembles, including orchestras, bands, jazz groups, and chamber music groups across more than 20 U.S. states, as well as in England, Canada, and Switzerland.
About iJazz Music
In 2012, Jazz Education Abroad (JEA) was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Its purpose is to reach out to countries in the Middle East, Asia, South America, Africa and Europe to present Jazz Education Festivals and Jazz Workshops as a way to increase each country’s exposure to Jazz. In November 2018, Jazz Education Abroad decided to form a non-profit jazz music publishing company (iJazzMusic.com), which would increase the visibility of its composers and arrangers, and assist Jazz Education Abroad in presenting these festivals and workshops. The composers and arrangers invited to join iJazzMusic.com are some of the most outstanding writers from Europe, Asia, and South America, as well as selected composers and arrangers from the United States. Learn more at ijazzmusic.com
About the University of South Florida
The USF School of Music is a leader for innovation and transformation. The curriculum is forward thinking and focused on the needs of students, in one of the most artistically active areas in Florida. There are many incentives that attract music students to USF, including distinguished artist faculty, splendid ensembles that perform regularly at state, regional and national music events, an innovative and forward looking music education program, an exceptional jazz studies program, a commercial music program that is focused musics of today, and an environment that boasts a wide range of excellent cultural activities.
About Jazz Composers Present.com
Offering webinars, lessons and livestreams, JazzComposersPresent.com is an online space where composers, musicians, and listeners come together to celebrate the music we love. Learn more at jazzcomposerspresent.com
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