The Next Festival of Emerging Artists

08/28/2026

(sound on) Listen as this piece moves from dreamlike to sweeping and cinematic in record time.

Here's a bird's eye view from behind Garrett Arney as we rehearsed the WORLD PREMIERE of Andrea Casarrubios’ The Book of Signatures with soloist Tommy Mesa, Cellist at PS21 : Center for Contemporary Performance.

This deeply moving double concerto for cello, percussion, and strings is inspired by the disappearing art of handwriting and the search for authentic human connection in a digital age.

08/21/2026

Help us celebrate Next Fest board member and former Guest Artist Curtis Stewart - Violin in The New York Times for 24 American Caprices, his wildly imaginative rethinking of the violin caprice through the kaleidoscope of American music.

From Earth, Wind & Fire and Kendrick Lamar to Duke Ellington and Aretha Franklin, Curtis turns the traditions of classical violin inside out, bringing the full breadth of American musical life into the concert hall.

Congratulations, Curtis!

READ ON: nytimes.com/2026/08/18/arts/music/curtis-stewart-24-american-caprices.html

08/17/2026

PUBLISHED: Official Recording with Yvette Young

Yvette's 3 Pieces for Strings and Guitar, commissioned by Next Fest is now on Spotify and more!

08/08/2026

Our official recording with Yvette Young is now available! Learn how legendary engineer Fab Dupont recorded the piece in a single day. Details below.

Yvette's 3 Pieces for Strings and Guitar- commissioned by Next Fest and conducted by Peter Askim, blends her classical roots with the boundary-pushing sound that made Covet a global phenomenon.

WATCH THE WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE: youtube.com/

LISTEN ON Bandcamp: yvetteyoung.bandcamp.com/album/3-pieces-for-strings-and-guitar

Next week, join Fab live on Zoom as he opens a Universal Audio session and breaks down how he balanced 18 string players while carving out space for Yvette's electric guitar. Live Q&A included!

Wednesday, August 12th | 1pm EDT
REGISTER FOR FREE LIVE STREAM: zoom.us/meeting/register/q3FPYZmwQbCzA_xVvJKxDw #/registration

Huge thanks to everyone who supported this recording.

🎥: Next Fest String Orchestra performing with Yvette Young at Mannes School of Music by Danie Harris.

07/31/2026

THANK YOU! We've raised our $10k match!

Our campaign ends tonight at 11:59pm ET - so there's still time to show your support

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: next-fest.org/support

This year's Festival offered so much to celebrate: 10 world premieres, a groundbreaking program celebrating women immigrant composers, and 30 extraordinary emerging artists creating work that audiences won't soon forget.

To keep building on this artistic success, we rely on your ongoing support. Every additional dollar raised today helps fund:

-Pay-what-you-can Fellowships
-World Premieres
-Free and Affordable Performances
-Year-Round Professional Development Programs for Alumni

Thank you for believing in emerging artists, bold new ideas, and the future of American music.

07/24/2026

From Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie to Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, and Next Fest Fellows.

This summer, our 2026 Composer Fellows recorded their original works at the legendary Power Station at Berklee NYC - the birthplace of countless iconic albums, film scores, and orchestral recordings.

Our Performance Fellows brought these works to life under the direction of Peter Askim, preserving the world premieres of the next generation of composers.

Take a look inside and stay tuned to hear these recordings soon.

Through August 1, every donation to Next Fest will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000.

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT: next-fest.org/support

07/17/2026

The works you're seeing here were built from scratch after one extraordinary week of fearless collaboration.

No finished pieces. Just bold ideas, under the mentorship of Peter Askim, GRAMMY-winning composer Aaron Kernis, and Bessie-nominated choreographer Sidra Bell Dance New York.

Donation-based ticket sales only covered a small fraction of what it takes to bring this workshop to life.

CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP: next-fest.org/support

MATCHING FUND: Through August 1, every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000, thanks to an anonymous donor.

Your tax-deductible gift supports our pay-what-you-can Fellowships, world premiere commissions, and the creative space emerging artists need to take risks and grow.

Every dollar counts. Every dollar is doubled.

07/09/2026

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT. Through August 1, every donation to Next Fest will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000, thanks to an anonymous donor.

Our 2026 Festival celebrated women immigrant composers with 10 world premieres, rave reviews, and 30 extraordinary emerging artists.

Due to rising costs and decreased funding options, ticket sales only cover a small fraction of what it takes to bring world-class productions to life.

CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP: next-fest.org/support

Your tax-deductible gift supports pay-what-you-can Fellowships, world premiere commissions, and free and affordable performances that bring bold new music to everyone.

Every dollar counts. Every dollar is doubled.

Photo by 2026 Fellow Maya Johnson

06/29/2026

Images are coming in from our packed performance at National Sawdust, and they're great.

We recently shared a bold program of global voices shaping American music, featuring powerful works by women immigrant composers like Andrea Casarrubios, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Adeliia Faizullina, Wang Lu, Clarice Assad, and Aleksandra Vrebalov.

Special thanks to Tommy Mesa, Cellist and percussionist Garrett Arney for performances that matched these world class compositions.

If you have photos from the festival, tag us or share via DM and we may post it! And, stay tuned for video!