Esperanza Spalding and Terence Blanchard to Join PAC NYC ICONS OF CULTURE
Events will take place on Wednesday, October 7 and Thursday, October 15.
This fall, the Perelman Performing Arts Center will present the third annual PAC NYC ICONS OF CULTURE, a dynamic series that brings together innovators, creators, and changemakers to explore the ideas shaping culture and influencing the way we live, work, and play.
The 2026 series AMERICA IN SONG will commemorate America's 250th anniversary with a celebration of American popular music and uniquely American artistic traditions, highlighting the music and art forms born in the United States that have shaped, and thrilled, generations. The series presents two special evenings of intimate conversation and live performances exploring jazz as America’s music and its enduring influence on popular culture.
Wednesday, October 7
On Wednesday, October 7, PAC NYC welcomes five-time GRAMMY Award-winning musician Esperanza Spalding, a bassist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader celebrated for her innovative blend of jazz, classical, and R&B. In a candid conversation, spalding will discuss her inspirations, and the role jazz has played throughout her career—from winning the GRAMMY Award for Best New Artist to founding Prismid, an eco-cultural nonprofit hub. Drawing on her unique perspective as a jazz artist, spalding will explore the connections between artistic innovation, community wellness, and social justice, offering insight into how these ideas inform both her music and her work beyond the stage. The evening will culminate in a special performance of songs that reflect these themes and her distinct talents.
Thursday, October 15
On Thursday, October 15, PAC NYC welcomes eight-time GRAMMY-winner Terence Blanchard. He takes the PAC NYC stage for an intimate mix of conversation and live performance examining jazz as America’s music and its enduring influence on popular culture. Blanchard will revisit the artists who first inspired him—including Miles Davis and John Coltrane—and reflect on his own evolution as a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. The conversation will span his remarkable work in film, including scores for more than 80 movies, projects with directors such as Elegance Bratton, Regina King, Kasi Lemmons, George Lucas, and Gina Prince-Bythewood, and his three-decade creative partnership with Spike Lee. Turning toward the future, Blanchard looks ahead to new projects, upcoming collaborations, and the next chapter of jazz.
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