Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³), the visionary, non-hierarchical mentorship initiative founded by musicians Jen Shyu and Sara Serpa, is proud to present M³ Festival 2026, its 5th annual in-person international music festival, featuring some of the most groundbreaking composer-performers in the jazz, creative, electronic, singer-songwriter, experimental & traditional music scenes, and beyond. One of New York City’s only festivals dedicated entirely to underrepresented voices in jazz & creative music, the M³ Festival offers audiences from around the world a rare & unforgettable cultural experience centered on uplifting women & gender-expansive musicians from across the globe, offering something genuinely rare in New York City’s cultural landscape. The event takes place on Friday, November 6 at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and Saturday, November 7 at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn. By spanning both neighborhoods, the festival gives New Yorkers the chance to experience the celebration in 2 distinct cultural hubs, bringing different communities together to mix & interact across the city. In just 6 years since its founding in 2020, M³ has commissioned & supported 100 artists across 9 cohorts, published 7 anthologies, produced 6 online and 4 in-person festivals, and bestowed 5 Luminary Awards. Cohorts are groups of up to a dozen composer-performers selected to participate in a 10-month intensive creative & professional development period. This year’s festival brings together an exceptional lineup of national & international musicians, featuring world premiere screenings of 4 original duo-commissioned music & film works; the presentation of the annual Luminary Award honoring a musician aged 60+ for decades of artistic achievement; and performances by acclaimed headlining artists alongside sets by 18 emerging to established bandleaders.
M³ Festival 2026 Schedule
Friday, November 6
Luminary Award Celebration, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the National Jazz Museum, 58 W 129th St., Harlem. (6:30 p.m. cocktails and light fare, 7 pm program begins).
Emceed by vocalist Kavita Shah the evening includes the presentation of the 2026 M³ Luminary Award to Jessica Jones, solo tributes to Jones by pianist Angelica Sanchez & saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, and world premiere film screenings by M³ Cohort 8 musicians Bahar Badiei, Bunga Dessri, Kim Clarke, Miranda Ingram Agnew, Mobéy Lola Irizarry, Mona Miari, Wen-Ting Wu & Zahra Glenda Baker. The event also highlights the release of M³ Magazine Vol. 2, as well as the announcement of the 8 individuals chosen for the M³ Winter Solstice 2026 Cohort 9 starting in December 2026.
Saturday, November 7
M³ Festival Marathon, 7-10 pm at Roulette Intermedium, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn.
11 sets of live performances by 33 artists along with bandleaders from M³’s 6th and 7th Cohorts.
Full Line-Up: Terri Lyne Carrington • William Parker • Patricia Nicholson • Theo Bleckmann • Martha Redbone • Marta Sanchez • Caroline Davis • Aaron Whitby • Alexandria DeWalt • Allan Mednard • Carmen Quill • Carolina Borja-Marroquin • Chanelle Ignant • Charlie Burnham • Coco Elysses • Devon Gates • Ge Linna • Kweku Aggrey • Kweku Sumbry • Mama Dee • Marcus Grant • Melissa Almaguer • Miranda Agnew • Morgan Guerin • Noa Fort • Paige Brown • Rashaan Carter • Stephan Crump • Summer Kodama • Tomas Fujiwara • Unma Allinar • Vitor Gonçalves • Yuhan Su
In the relentless pursuit of balance and diversity, the lineup of composer-performers was thoughtfully curated to embody innovation across genres. The M³ Festival serves as a testament to the power of inclusivity, demonstrating that when intentions focus on fostering a diverse and inclusive community of musicians and creators, it unlocks a world of boundless possibilities.
This year, I had a chance to catch up with the other co-founder, Sara Serpa to remind people just what this entire scene is about. Sara gives us a quick headline about each artist, the amazing way the work gets done and how people can be a part of it in so many forms. This is truly a scene I am proud to support in a tiny way. I look forward to continuing to celebrate with this entire community.
