Columbia University’s Miller Theatre, under the exuberant leadership of Executive Director Melissa Smey, is set for a premiere-filled 2026-27 season.
Miller Theatre described the season as “an invigorating mix of new music, early music, and jazz,” as well as the free programs Morningside Lights and Pop-Up Concerts.
Since 2009, the theatre said Smey has been known for the integrity of her curating with an “authentically warm, informal vibe.
Under her guidance, Miller’s consistently engaging offerings have not only recalibrated the gender imbalance in classical music, but have had a “transformative impact on musical culture in New York City,” exerting an “oversize influence on tastes and trends,” according to the New York Times.
The theatre said it often gives listeners their first major encounter with lesser-known composers who are thereafter programmed by the bigger organizations.
Smey has commissioned over 60 major works, and five more will be premiered across the 2026-27 season, Miller Theatre said.
It said three will be premiered on the covetable Composer Portraits series (by Clara Iannotta, Sam Pluta, and Katherine Young) and two on the world-class Early Music series (Stile Antico presents a new piece by Christopher Cerrone, and The Tallis Scholars premiere one by Matthew Martin).
Miller Theatre said Early Music is a substantial series that explores the rich history of medieval and Renaissance polyphony.
It also said Composer Portraits is the concert version of Suzanne Farrin’s new opera Macabéa, “an electro-sonic experience that examines the cultural, psychological, and spiritual manifestations of poverty and power, based on Clarice Lispector’s final novel.”
Miller Theatre said this spirit of discovery extends to the fabulous Bach series as well, with highlights that include Simone Dinnerstein juxtaposing Bach’s Inventions and Sinfonias with works by jazz pianist-composers profoundly influenced by the master: Brad Mehldau and Keith Jarrett.
Composer-performers are also the focus of Miller’s Jazz series.
It said two of the four concerts feature trios of “brilliant experimental jazz minds”: Kris Davis, Tyshawn Sorey, and Ingrid Laubrock, and Craig Taborn, Tomeka Reid, and Ches Smith.
“Miller Theatre’s 2026–27 season is driven by a spirit of discovery, pairing immersive concerts of living composers with fresh and contemporary perspectives on the canon,” Smey said.
“Audiences will have the rare opportunity to encounter artists who are actively shaping the field, often at pivotal moments before they gain wider recognition,” she added.
Smey said this season also celebrates the 15th anniversary of two programs that are very close to her heart, Pop-Up Concerts and Morningside Lights.
“Both bring the community onto Miller’s stage through free concerts and workshops that make the arts accessible to all—up close in real time,” she said.
