Maria Schneider Orchestra

Maria Schneiders music has been praised by critics as evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, and beyond categorization. She and her 18-member orchestra have performed in concert halls worldwide and have received seven GRAMMY Awards, many Jazz Journalist Awards, and numerous Downbeat and JazzTimes Readers and Critics Poll honors. Schneiders music blurs genre boundaries, resulting in a varied list of commissions that span jazz to classical and dance, including collaborations with David Bowie. She is among the few artists to receive GRAMMYs in multiple genresboth jazz and classicaland for her work with David Bowie. She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Minnesota and Eastman School of Music. In 2019, the National Endowment for the Arts bestowed upon Schneiders the nation's highest honor in jazz by naming her an NEA Jazz Master. Musicians performing in her orchestra this week at Birdland include: ReedsSteve Wilson, Dave Pietro, Rich Perry, Donny McCaslin, John Ellis, Scott Robinson; TrumpetsTony Kadleck, Greg Gisbert, Nadje Noordhuis, Michael Dudley, Mike Rodriguez; TrombonesKeith OQuinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes, George Flynn; AccordionJulien Labro; GuitarJeff Miles; PianoGary Versace; BassJay Anderson; DrumsJohnathan Blake and Rudy Royston.