Bienen School of Music seeks nominations for $150,000 Nemmers Prize

Nominations accepted through Jan. 14, 2026

EVANSTON, Ill. --- The Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University invites nominations for the 2026 Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition. The $150,000 prize honors music composers of outstanding achievement.

The Nemmers Prize will be awarded to a composer who shows the highest-level achievement in a body of work and a unique creativity. The prize is international in focus and therefore open to any composer without regard to citizenship or institutional affiliation. Only living composers may be nominated.

The recipient is expected to participate in two nonconsecutive weeks of residency at the Bienen School of Music interacting with students and faculty. A cash allowance will be provided to the winner to cover expenses connected with the residency.

Composers must be nominated, preferably by recognized authorities in the field, via a letter of no more than 1,000 words describing the nominee's accomplishments and qualifications. The letter may include such areas as ways the nominee has distinguished him or herself, recognition the nominee has received, and ways in which the nominee has influenced the field of composition. Scores and recordings will not be accepted. Self-nominations and anonymous nominations will not be accepted.

Nominations must be submitted by email to nemmersmusic@northwestern.edu by January 14, 2026.

For more information and full nomination guidelines, visit www.music.northwestern.edu/nemmers.

About the Nemmers Prize

Awarded by Northwestern University, the prestigious Nemmers Prize recognizes renowned leaders from institutions outside of Northwestern who have made lasting contributions to new knowledge or the development of significant new modes of analysis.

Northwestern administers five Nemmers prizes: the Nemmers Prize in Earth Sciences, the Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize in Economics, the Frederic Esser Nemmers Prize in Mathematics, the Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science, and the Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition.

Previous winners of the Michael Ludwig Nemmers Prize in Music Composition are Tania León, William Bolcom, Jennifer Higdon, Steve Reich, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Aaron Jay Kernis, John Luther Adams, Kaija Saariaho, Oliver Knussen, and John Adams.