On April 22, Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music awarded John Corigliano the 2026 Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition, one of the field’s most prestigious honors. The biennial prize recognizes composers of outstanding achievement and includes a $150,000 award, as well as two residencies at the university.
A towering figure in American music, Corigliano joins a distinguished roster of past recipients including John Adams, Kaija Saariaho, Aaron Jay Kernis, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. In announcing the award, Bienen School dean Jonathan Bailey Holland praised Corigliano’s work as “full of color and emotion,” highlighting in particular his Symphony No. 1 as “one of the most significant works of our time.”
Corigliano’s first residency at Northwestern, scheduled for May 2027, will feature performances of his music, master classes, and composition seminars, offering students the opportunity to engage directly with one of today’s most celebrated composers. Reflecting on the honor, Corigliano expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the university: “The faculty and students of Northwestern University have, in the past, given me some of my happiest musical experiences, and I look forward to sharing what I can with them in the coming two years.”
For more information please contact Peggy Monastra.
