Tyshawn Sorey is acclaimed for his mastery of composition and improvisation, as well as his virtuosity in performing complex scores. A 2017 MacArthur Fellow and 2018 United States Artists Fellow, Sorey has collaborated with artists like John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Vijay Iyer, and Claire Chase. His composition Monochromatic Light (Afterlife) was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize. Sorey was also named a Rising Star Producer in Downbeat's 2023 Critics Poll. Sorey's works have been performed by ensembles such as the International Contemporary Ensemble, JACK Quartet, and Alarm Will Sound, at venues including Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Lucerne Festival. He is a member of University of Pennsylvania's composition faculty and was a Peabody Resident at Johns Hopkins University for Fall 2023. Sorey has also taught at Columbia, Harvard, The New England Conservatory, University of Michigan, The Banff Centre, and Berklee College of Music. In the future, Sorey plans to continue pushing boundaries, extending cultural norms, and reformulating public perceptions of modern Black/Afrodiasporic creative practice through the breadth and depth of his works. His compositions are published by Edition Peters.

Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly re-defined the lines between jazz and classical, and built a global career around his nuanced, understated approach to music-making. Praised for his "melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint" (The New York Times), Diehl has performed with musical giants such as Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Tyshawn Sorey, and Philip Glass, and has been a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra, working with conductors like Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marin Alsop, and Alan Gilbert. In 2023, Diehl was named Artistic Director of 92NY's Jazz in July Festival, succeeding the legendary Bill Charlap. With an expansive, orchestral, lyrical approach to the piano that channels predecessors like Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum and Jelly Roll Morton, Diehl has headlined the Monterey, Detroit, and Newport Jazz Festivals, and had residencies at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, SF Jazz, and many more. He counts among his mentors towering figures such as John Lewis, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Marcus Roberts, and Eric Reed.

For more than a decade, bassist Harish Raghavan has helped lay the foundation for a thriving generation of artists. The Thelonious Monk Competition semifinalist garners acclaim as a sound architect for myriad original projects, from Ambrose Akinmusire's to Eric Harland's. Other longtime collaborators include Logan Richardson, Vijay Iyer, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti and Walter Smith III. Born in Chicago, the New York-based artist transitioned from Mridanga to bass at age 16. His appetite for mingling lineages has allowed him to craft an inclusive, deeply personal artistry. Raghavan's debut album Calls for Action (Whirlwind Recordings) reflects his development as a composer and band leader. Fifteen original tracks serve as a cohesive narrative for the album, as well as standalone suites on either side of its vinyl release. Raghavan received his BA in Music from USC — where he studied under John Clayton and Dave Carpenter, and later with Robert Hurst — and has become a highly sought educator. Teaching credits include Stanford Jazz Workshop, The New School, Siena Jazz Workshop, Banff and Centrum Jazz Workshop. He also appears regularly on the international festival circuit.