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Alto saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins has been named a 2026 MacArthur fellow.
(Photo: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation)Immanuel Wilkins, an alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and Blue Note recording artist based in Brooklyn, New York, is one of 20 recipients of a 2026 MacArthur Fellowship, the MacArthur Foundation announced today, Sept. 29.
Popularly known as the “Genius Grant,” the MacArthur Fellowship is one of the most prestigious awards in the United States: a no-strings-attached $800,000 cash prize, given annually to a select group of “talented individuals” in any field of endeavor who “have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction,” according to the foundation.
While the slate of recipients and categories varies each year, the fellowships frequently include jazz and creative musicians. Recent fellows have included singer Cécile McLorin Salvant (2020), cellist Tomeka Reid (2022) and pianist Craig Taborn (2025).
Wilkins, the foundation noted in its announcement, “blend[s] traditional jazz motifs with modern textures in works that reflect on historical narratives of injustice and resilience. As an instrumentalist, Wilkins exhibits flawless technical command and a clear and assured tone in composed and improvisational contexts like. He often structures his multipart compositions as emotional arcs inspired by historical events that continue to reverberate in the present day.
“Acclaimed for his clarity of voice and depth of feeling, Wilkins is engaging a new generation of content-savvy listeners through compelling historical narratives and an expansive vision of a storied instrument and form.”
At 29 years old, Wilkins is the youngest of this year’s grantees. Born in Philadelphia, he grew up in nearby Upper Darby Township, attending classes at the city’s Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School in New York and released his debut album as a leader, Omega, in 2020. Two more studio albums have followed, along with a trilogy of live albums from the Village Vanguard, released earlier this year. His 2024 release, Blues Blood, was among the year’s most acclaimed.
“I’m writing music about how humans interact with each other,” Wilkins explains in a short video for the MacArthur Foundation. “There’s something around being able to tell these stories, that are sometimes really tough and gruesome stories, without recreating the violence of them. … What I’m trying to create in my musical practice in general is a certain tension and proximity of these hybrids of sublime and grotesque. And I think that the blues is a really incredible signifier for what that close proximity looks like.”
Wilkins and this year’s other 19 MacArthur fellows will receive their $800,000 awards in quarterly payments made over the next five years. DB
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
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Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
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