Kodak Theater
Los Angeles, CA
First Place: Jon Irabagon, Illinois
Second Place: Tim Green, Maryland
Third Place: Quamon Fowler, Texas
Judges:
Jane Ira Bloom
Jimmy Heath
Greg Osby
David Sanchez
Wayne Shorter
The 2008 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to BB King. Paul Allen received the Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award.
Composers Competition Winner: Sherisse Rogers, Pennsylvania
Photo (l-r): Jon Irabagon (1st place), Tim Green (2nd place) and Quamon Fowler (3rd place)
Kodak Theater
Los Angeles, CA
First Place: Ambrose Akinmusire, California
Second Place: Jean Caze, Haiti
Third Place: Michael Rodriguez, New York
Judges:
Herb Alpert
Terence Blanchard
Roy Hargrove
Quincy Jones
Hugh Masekela
Clark Terry
The 2007 Competition featured the presentation of the inaugural Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award to Herbie Hancock
Composers Competition Winner: Petros Sakelliou, Athens, Greece
Photo: Michael Rodriguez (3rd place), Jean Caze (2nd place) and Ambrose Akinmusire (1st place)
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Tigran Hamasyan, Armenia
Second Place: Gerald Clayton, The Netherlands
Third Place: Aaron Parks, Washington
Judges:
Herbie Hancock
Andrew Hill
Danilo Perez
Renee Rosnes
Billy Taylor
Randy Weston
The 2006 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to Stevie Wonder
Composers Competition Winner: Kálmán Oláh, Budapest, Hungary
Photo: Gerald Clayton (2nd place), Tigran Hamasyan (1st place) and Aaron Parks (3rd place)
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Lage Lund, Skein, Norway
Second Place: Miles Okazaki, Washington
Third Place: David Mooney, Louisiana
Judges:
Bill Frisell
Stanley Jordan
Earl Klugh
Russell Malone
Pat Martino
John Pizzarelli
The 2005 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to George Benson
Composers Competition Winner: Junko Moriya, Kanagawa, Japan
Photo: T.S. Monk and Billy Dee Williams (far left & right) with Miles Okazaki (2nd place), David Mooney (3rd place) and Lage Lund (1st place)
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Gretchen Parlato, California
Second Place: Kellylee Evans, Ontario, Canada
Third Place: Robin McKelle, Massachusetts
Fourth Place: Charenée Wade, New York
Judges:
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Kurt Elling
Al Jarreau
Quincy Jones
Flora Purim
Jimmy Scott
Composers Competition Winner: Misha Piatigorsky, Russia (currently residing in New York)
Photo: Charenée Wade (4th place), Robin McKelle (3rd place), Gretchen Parlato (1st place) and Kellylee Evans (2nd place) with Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Andre Hayward, Texas
Second Place: David Gibson, Alabama
Third Place: Noah Bless, Massachusetts
Fourth Place: Karin Harris, Washington
Fifth Place: Marshall Gilkes, Maryland
Judges:
Steve Davis
Curtis Fuller
Grachan Moncur III
Julian Priester
Steve Turre
The 2003 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to David Baker
Composers Competition Winner: Ilja Reijngoud, The Netherlands
Photo: Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock (far left & right) take a moment with the 2003 Competition winners Andre Hayward, Marshall Gilkes, Karin Harris, Noah Bless and David Gibson
Smithsonian Institution’s Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Seamus Blake, Canada
Second Place: John Ellis, North Carolina
Third Place: Marcus Strickland, Florida
Finalists: Aaron Fletcher, Louisiana, and Jaleel Shaw, Pennsylvania
Judges:
Don Braden
George Coleman
Joshua Redman
Wayne Shorter
James Spaudling
The 2002 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to Wayne Shorter
Composers Competition Winner: Jim Robitaille, Massachusetts
Photo (l-r): Winners of the 2002 Competition; Jaleel Shaw, Marcus Strickland, John Ellis, Seamus Blake and Aaron Fletcher
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Pedro Martinez, New Jersey
Second Place: Samuel Torres, Florida
Third Place: Camilo Ernesto Molina Gaetan, New York
Finalists: Ramses Araya, Florida, and Cristian Rivera, New York
Judges:
Ray Barretto
Big Black
Candido
Milton Cardona
Giovanni Hidalgo
Babatunde Olatunji
Composers Competition Winner: Michael Weiss, New York
Photo (l-r): Winners of the 2000 Competition; Pedro Martinez, Camilo Molina Gaetan, Samuel Torres, Ramses Araya and Christian Rivera
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
First Place: Eric Lewis, New Jersey
Second Place: Orrin Evans, Philadelphia
Third Place: Jacob Sacks, New York
Fourth Place: Sam Yahel, Germany
Judges:
Geri Allen
Cedar Walton
Randy Weston
Eric Reed
Herbie Hancock
Danilo Perez
The 1999 Competition featured the presentation of the Maria Fisher Founder’s Award to Herbie Hancock
Composers Competition Winner: James Carney, California
Photo (l-r): 1999 Piano Competition Winners Jacob Sacks,Eric Lewis, Sam Yahel and Orrin Evans
Smithsonian Institution’s Baird Auditorium
Washington, DC
First Place: Teri Thornton, New York
Second Place: Jane Monheit, New York
Third Place: Roberta Gambarini, Italy
Finalists: Everett Greene, Indiana and Cynthia Scott, New York
Judges:
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Nnenna Freelon
Diana Krall
Dianne Reeves
Joe Williams
Composers Competition Winner: Emanuel Rueffler, Germany
Photo (l-r): 1998 Vocal Competition winners Jane Monheit, Cynthia Scott, Roberta Gambarini, Competition Producer Shelby Fischer, Teri Thornton and Everrett Greene
