Jihye Lee Awarded Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize and Manny Albam Commission

The work of the best and brightest new jazz composers who attended this year’s BMI Jazz Composers Workshop was featured in a free concert in NYC recently to determine the winner of this year’s prestigious Charlie Parker Prize and Manny Albam Commission. Hosted by musical director Andy Farber and judged by a seasoned panel of jazz aficionados including Darcy James Argue, Alan Broadbent and Ed Neumeister, the winning composition was Jihye Lee’s “Unshakeable Mind.”

In receiving the honor, Lee was awarded a $3,000 commission to compose a new piece that will premiere at next year’s showcase, again featuring the 17-piece BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra. Last year’s prize winner, Remi LaBoeuf, performed his commissioned work, “Sibbian,” to close out the long-awaited evening of jazz.