Chamber Music America Announces 2025 Performance Plus Grantees

Individual awards of up to $21,500 will be given to 14 women- and gender minority-led jazz ensembles

Supported by The Doris Duke Foundation, Chamber Music America’s Performance Plus program uplifts 14 women- and gender minority-led jazz ensembles. This year, it has distributed $238,600 and connects each bandleader and their ensembles with experienced artist-mentors for evaluative listening sessions and recording projects.

Selected by an independent peer panel in early spring 2025, the 2025 grantees are:

• Ginita y La Orquesta Esa (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Bandleader: Gina Benalcázar-López | Artist-Mentor: Michael Mossman
• Berta Moreno & La Troupe (New York, NY)
  • Bandleader: Berta Moreno | Artist-Mentor: Stefon Harris
• Ikioi Quartet (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Bandleader: Naomi Nakanishi | Artist-Mentor: Anna Webber
• EMPECTET (Queens, NY)
  • Bandleader: Emily Pecoraro | Artist-Mentor: Steven Bernstein
• Ariacne (Union City, NJ)
  • Bandleader: Ariacne Trujillo | Artist-Mentor: Gonzalo Grau
• Catherine Bent & Ian Coury (Jamaica Plain, MA)
  • Bandleader: Catherine Bent | Artist-Mentor: Anat Cohen
• Alden Hellmuth Sextet (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Bandleader: Alden Hellmuth | Artist-Mentor: Steve Lehman
• Stella Heath Septet: The Billie Holiday Project (Graton, CA)
  • Bandleader: Stella Heath | Artist-Mentor: Marcus Shelby
• Alyssa Allgood Quintet (Chicago, IL)
  • Bandleader: Alyssa Allgood | Artist-Mentor: Nicole Zuraitis
• Karen Shiraishi Quintet (New Orleans, LA)
  • Bandleader: Karen Shiraishi | Artist-Mentor: Herlin Riley
• Paola Rivera & Aquarela (Arecibo, PR)
  • Bandleader: Paola Rivera | Artist-Mentor: Miguel Zenón
• Nicole Odreman Quartet & Friends (New York, NY)
  • Bandleader: Nicole Maria Odreman Valenciano | Artist-Mentor: Donald Vega
• Rebecca Kleinmann Quintet (Durham, NC)
  • Bandleader: Rebecca Kleinmann | Artist-Mentor: Rahsaan Barber
• Haeun Joo Trio (Brooklyn, NY)
  • Bandleader: Haeun Joo | Artist-Mentor: Jihye Lee