NQ Jazz Orchestra returns for a fresh edition, this time taking a deep dive in to the music of one of the greatest living Jazz Composers, Maria Schneider! In a career that has seen huge recognition, including 7(!) Grammy awards, Maria has redefined what the sound of a big band can be, bringing long-form composition, orchestral textures and a unique flair for melody and lyricism to her writing. Her music can be heard via her recordings with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, available via her website only. This is a very rare chance to hear Maria’s music live, as she extremely rarely visits the UK with her own orchestra, and owing to the high musical demands of her writing and the unique challenges her music presents, it is rarely presented by other ensembles - we’re delighted to take on the challenge and hope you’ll join us for this very special night of music!

Maria Schneider’s music has been described as “evocative, majestic, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, epic and beyond categorization.” Blurring the boundaries between jazz and classical traditions, she is among the few artists to receive GRAMMY Awards in multiple genres, honored in jazz and classical categories, as well as for her work with David Bowie.

Since her debut recording Evanescence (1994), Schneider has developed a distinctive compositional language for her 18-member orchestra, writing specifically for the individualistic voices within the ensemble. Her most recent project, American Crow, expands her work into a cinematic dimension. Released as both a music video and EP, the piece pairs sweeping orchestration with striking visual imagery, using jazz to illustrate the art of listening, a practice she feels could help heal our fractured cultural landscape. The work continues her group’s exploration of collective listening and the emotional power of large-ensemble storytelling.

A pioneer in artist-funded production, Schneider has long worked through the platform ArtistShare. In 2004, Concert in the Garden became the first GRAMMY-winning recording with Internet-only sales and was later inducted into the National Recording Registry. Her honors include 14 GRAMMY nominations and 7 GRAMMY Awards. A prominent advocate for artists’ rights, Schneider has testified before the U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Intellectual Property ­­and has written extensively on digital rights and the future of the music economy.