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. She has received honors in jazz and classical categories, as well as for her work with David Bowie.

Since her debut recording, 1994’s Evanescence, Schneider has developed a distinctive compositional language for her 18-member orchestra. She writes specifically for the individualistic voices within the ensemble. The group has performed worldwide, and Schneider has guest-conducted more than ninety ensembles across thirty countries.

Her most recent project, 2026’s 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. Schneider uses 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.

Schneider’s double album, 2020’s Data Lords was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist and won two Grammy Awards. It was named Jazz Album of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association and NPR and received France’s Grand Prix de l’Académie du Jazz. The project fused her artistic vision with her longstanding advocacy around technology and culture. As NPR’s Nate Chinen wrote, it “amounts to the most daring work of Schneider’s career.”

Her honors include fourteen Grammy nominations and seven Grammy Awards, and designation as an NEA Jazz Master. She has also been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and received the ASCAP Concert Music Award.

Recommended for fans of Toshiko Akiyoshi, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Terence Blanchard and Carla Bley.