Composer Naoya Ogura presents his composition “Paper Cups” at the 37th Annual BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Summer Showcase on June 12, 2026 at Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York City. Photo: Brian Berson for BMI.
At the 37th Annual BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Summer Showcase, held June 12 at New York City’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre, trumpeter-composer-arranger Naoya Ogura took home the coveted Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize for his composition “Paper Cups.” And this wasn’t one of those polite, split-decision wins—this was unanimous.
Performed by the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Andy Farber and Alan Ferber, the evening spotlighted nine original works from the workshop’s 2025–2026 class, each one flexing a different corner of the big band spectrum—from contemporary textures to straight-ahead firepower. Ogura’s piece fell firmly in the latter camp, and it clearly struck a chord.
Farber summed it up best: “Ogura’s piece, 'Paper Cups,' was a hard swinging, straight ahead lyrical tune, with a very well-crafted arrangement and orchestration. In years past, it has been common for the Parker Prize to be awarded to the composer with a more experimental piece, but this year, the judges were in unanimous agreement that Ogura’s piece was the stand-out.”
Along with the honor, Ogura also receives the $3,000 Manny Albam Commission, setting him up to debut a brand-new work at next year’s showcase. Not a bad encore to have lined up.
The night also served as a full-circle moment, closing with 2025 winner Michael R. Dudley premiering their commissioned piece, “While You Still Got One”—a reminder that this workshop isn’t just about recognition, it’s about continuity. One class feeds the next, one premiere leads to another, and the big band tradition keeps evolving without losing its backbone.
And if this year proved anything, it’s that sometimes the boldest move isn’t reinventing the form—it’s mastering it.
BMI Jazz Composers Workshop’s Musical Director Andy Farber, BMI Foundation President and BMI’s AVP, Creative, Classical and Jazz Deidre Chadwick, 2026 Charlie Parker Prize / Manny Album Commission winner Naoya Ogura and BMI Jazz Composers Workshop’s Assistant Musical Director Alan Ferber at the 37th Annual BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Summer Showcase on June 12, 2026 at Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space in New York City. Photo: Brian Berson for BMI.
