Chicago, IL (September 8, 2025) - Nova Linea Musica (NLM) proudly announces that its 2025-26 season will be defined by music reflecting this moment. Every concert features a world premiere commission, underscoring NLM’s role as a catalyst for the creation, performance, and recording of works that speak directly to today’s audiences.
This season continues NLM’s mission of commissioning—a commitment established in its inaugural 2024 season, where every concert also unveiled a world premiere. By making commissions the centerpiece of its programming, NLM ensures that each performance is not only an event but a living testament to creativity as it unfolds.
“Our vision is to bring new works to life while connecting audiences directly to the creative spark of our time,” says Executive Director Michele Mohammadi, “By continuing our commissioning aim, we guarantee that every program offers music that belongs to this moment—and to the people experiencing it. In doing so, we’re shaping a cultural legacy that reflects the artistry of our era.”
2025–26 Commissions & Collaborations
Nova Linea Musica is collaborating with an extraordinary group of established and emerging composers, each commissioned to create new works that reflect the vibrancy of today.
Chris Mercer —A Chicago-based composer whose work explores the intersection of technology and human expression. His new work, Impromptu Fluorescing for renowned pianist Conrad Tao, will be premiered in the season opener Echoes and Algorithms on September 10.
Gabriella Smith —A composer who creates works that transport audiences into immersive soundscapes inspired by the natural world. She has been described as an “outright sensation” (Los Angeles Times) with music that “exudes inventiveness…and torrents of joy” (The New York Times). On October 29, the Owls will premiere her new quartet in Rare Birds.
Derrick Skye —Praised as “a composer to watch” and his music as “something to savor” (Los Angeles Times), Skye’s music blends West African, Persian, Balkan, and classical traditions into a vibrant, unified sound. The Catalyst Quartet will give the world premiere of a newly developed work on December 3 in Against All Odds.
Andrea Casarrubios —A Grammy-nominated Spanish-American cellist and composer, lauded by The New York Times for her “gorgeous tone” and an “edge-of-seat intensity,” with works described as “a stirring creation” (The Strad). On December 3, she contributes a new work for the Catalyst Quartet in Against All Odds.
Stacy Garrop —A Chicago-based composer recognized for her narrative-driven, dramatic works, Garrop returns for another season as Nova Linea Musica’s Composer-in-Residence. Her continuing role underscores NLM’s dedication to her artistry and vision. She will create a new piano trio for the NLM Piano Trio (Rabia Brooke, Haddon Kay, and Lam Wong). Her music, noted for its ability to “paint stark, even hallucinatory images” (Boston Classical Review) will receive its world premiere on January 21 in Threads of Melodic Silence.
JaRon Brown —An imaginative young composer whose voice is as bold as it is lyrical. Brown draws inspiration from jazz, gospel, and contemporary classical traditions, shaping music that pulses with rhythm. Grammy Award-winning Third Coast Percussion will premiere his new work on February 25 in The Drum Also Sings at Merit School of Music’s Gottlieb Hall.
Jennifer Higdon —Pulitzer Prize and three-time Grammy Award winner, and one of America’s most performed living composers. Her music is celebrated as “very immediate, authentic, sincere, and without pretense,” and as reflecting “sturdy American craftsmanship and optimism” with subtle undercurrents of introspection (The New York Times). Art Measures, her major new work for violinist Rabia Brooke, anchors the season. The March 11 concert, Beyond the Art of Measures, takes its name in tribute to Higdon’s towering artistry and this significant NLM commission.
Michelle Ross —A Grammy-winning violinist and composer, hailed as “affecting” (The New Yorker) and “gorgeous” (The New York Times). Known for works marked by imagination, intimacy, and a sense of discovery, her newly commissioned piece will premiere with violist Sam Rosenthal on March 11, 2026, in Beyond the Art of Measures.
David Hanlon —A composer celebrated for his compelling vocal and operatic works, Hanlon has been praised for his “keen ear for melody” (San Francisco Chronicle), bringing fresh vitality to the season. He has composed a new work for sopranos Arianna Zukerman and Heather Johnson with collaborative pianist Jason Wirth, which will premiere on May 6, 2026, in L’dor V’dor—From Generation to Generation.
Clarice Assad —A Grammy-nominated composer, vocalist, and pianist whose versatility as a composer-performer has been widely acknowledged. Yet, as The Strad observes, “it doesn’t follow that her writing talents extend beyond her own genres”—a testament to the remarkable breadth of her voice across musical styles. This season, she also leads Nova Linea Musica’s newly launched Score Call & Mentorship Program, extending her impact beyond the stage to guide emerging artists. In addition, Assad will create a new work for the Black Oak Ensembleand guitarist Mak Grgic to be premiered on the finale concert Blooming Under Blue Skies on June 3, 2026, closing NLM’s season with brilliance and scope.
A Season of Living Creatively
Every concert in NLM’s season invites listeners into the moment of creation. Composers will be present at their premieres, engaging in conversations with audiences and performers. Pre-concert talks as well as post-concert receptions further open the door, making each event as personal as it is transformative. This season also expands NLM’s commitment to education and community, partnering with Merit School of Music to connect students with new works, including invitations to share in the Third Coast percussion performance at Gottlieb Hall. “This season shows our unwavering belief in living composers,” says Artistic Director Desirée Ruhstrat. “It reflects our commitment to artistry and innovation, bringing together creators whose unique visions shape today’s musical landscape. By drawing on many perspectives, we offer audiences music that feels immediate, resonant, and deeply connected to the worldaround us.”
Leadership with Vision
Led by Executive Director Michele Mohammadi and Artistic Director Desirée Ruhstrat, Nova Linea Musica’s leadership reflects both artistic excellence and forward-looking vision. NLM is intentional in addressing the historic imbalance in the field—the underrepresentation of female composers —by commissioning and celebrating their voices while continuing to commission works from a wide range of today’s most compelling artists. This commitment is reflected in the appointment of acclaimed composer Stacy Garrop as NLM’s Composer-in-Residence and in Grammy-nominated composer Clarice Assad’s leadership in the newly launched Score Call & Mentorship Program. Together, these artistic partnerships ensure that the season’s premieres embody mastery and the artistic possibilities that define today’s musical landscape.
About Nova Linea Musica
Nova Linea Musica is a Chicago-based contemporary classical chamber music presenter, concert series, and new music incubator dedicated to the creation, presentation, and production of new music. Through commissions, live performances, and high-quality recordings, NLM closes the distance between artists and audiences, bringing curious listeners closer to the heart of artistic creation. For more information about Nova Linea Musica’s 2025–26 season, visit novalineamusica.org.
Photo Credits:
(Top Row L-R) (Chris Mercer photo by Jean-François Laporte, Gabriella Smith photo by Kate Smith, Derrick Skye photo by Hannah Arista Photography, Andrea Casarrubios photo by Titilayo Ayangade, Stacy Garrop photo by Joe Francavilla, JaRon Browncourtesy of the artist, Jennifer Higdon photo by J. Henry Fair, Michelle B. Ross photo by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco, Clarice Assad photo by Marcelo Macau, and David Hanlon photo by Jennifer Chase.)
