March 31, 2023 – The International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC) announces the recipients of its 2023 Prizes and Commissions.
Ariel Sha Glassman (Denton, TX) is the 2023 recipient of the ISJAC/USF Owen Prize in Jazz Composition. Established in 2019, the ISJAC/USF Owen Prize is offered to one outstanding student jazz composer age 26 or under. Ariel Sha Glassman receives this year’s prize with her composition, “What You Are Speaks.”
The ISJAC/USF Prize for Emerging Black Composers was created in 2020 as a way to recognize outstanding Black jazz composers under the age of 35. The 2023 Prize goes to Ennis Harris (Los Angeles, CA) for his composition, “Eye In The Sky.”
Meg Okura (Bronx, NY) is the recipient of the second annual ISJAC Fundamental Freedoms Commission. This unique composition commission, open to women composers of any age or nationality, was established in 2021 and reaffirms of ISJAC’s commitment to social justice, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. The 2023 commission by Ms. Okura will be premiered at the ISJAC Jazz Composers’ Symposium in Montréal, Canada in June 2024.
The International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC) was formed in 2016 to address issues unique to the global community of jazz composers and arrangers. As the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to serving and advocating on behalf of jazz composers and arrangers of all stripes, ISJAC prides itself on providing unique and meaningful resources, opportunities, and connections for its community.
ISJAC is a member organization comprised of individual members and a consortium of academic, professional, and performance organizations. Learn more about ISJAC and its work at www.isjac.org