Lincoln Center Awards For Emerging Artists Celebrate Ten Remarkable And Rising Talents

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts announced today the 2019 class of Emerging Artists, recognizing diverse and exceptional talents. Each recipient was nominated by one of Lincoln Center's eleven resident organizations, acknowledging their extraordinary talent and promising career. The 2019 winners are: singer and actress Mikaela Bennett (The Juilliard School); dancer Savannah Durham (School of American Ballet); composer and sound artist Ashley Fure (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the New York Philharmonic); actor Nadine Malouf (Lincoln Center Theater); bassist Endea Owens (Jazz at Lincoln Center); soprano Gabriella Reyes (The Metropolitan Opera); musician Adam Tendler (The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts); dancer Sebastian Villarini-Velez (New York City Ballet); filmmaker Eduardo Williams (Film Society of Lincoln Center); and violinist Angelo Xiang Yu (The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center). Each of the awardees will receive $7,500 to be used for career advancement.

In addition, several of the recipients will be acknowledged with named awards. Nadine Malouf and Angelo Xiang Yu will each receive a Martin E. Segal Award, which has annually recognized two artists of exceptional talent early in their careers since 1986. Ashley Fure will receive the Hunt Family Award, presented to the Emerging Artist nominated by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Savannah Durham will receive the Herbert Family Dance Award, presented to the nominee from the School of American Ballet.

"The Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists demonstrate the continued commitment of Lincoln Center's resident organizations to furthering excellence in the performing arts," said Lincoln Center Acting President Russell Granet. "The arts are fundamental to our world, and we are proud to support the next generation of artistic leaders."

The award winners will be recognized on February 27 at 7:00 pm in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, with live performances by several of the Emerging Artists.

Lincoln Center's longtime partner, The Movado Group Foundation, is the presenting sponsor of the Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists evening. In addition to its financial support, the Foundation will provide a Movado watch to each of the award recipients.

"The Movado Group Foundation is proud to partner with Lincoln Center in supporting emerging artists who shape the future of the performing arts," said Mary Leach, Chief Marketing Officer, Movado Group, Inc. "We are thrilled to be a part of this program that celebrates each recipient's unique perspective and extraordinary talent and supports development as leaders in their field."

About the Awards

With the Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists, Lincoln Center continues its commitment to supporting rising artists and their developing craft.

The Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists continue the legacy of the Martin E. Segal Awards, which were established in 1986 by the Board of Directors of Lincoln Center in honor of the arts leader and former Lincoln Center chairman and his commitment to rising talents. Each year, the Segal Awards are given to two emerging artists, rotated annually among resident organizations. Over the last three decades, nearly a quarter of a million dollars has been given to more than 70 remarkable emerging artists associated with Lincoln Center. Past Martin E. Segal Award winners include pianists Jonathan Biss and Shai Wosner; the Brentano, Borromeo, and JACK string quartets; mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung; violinist Augustin Hadelich; director Thomas Kail; dancer Daniel Ulbricht; cellist Alisa Weilerstein; choreographer Christopher Wheeldon; jazz saxophonist Melissa Aldana; composers Jason Robert Brown and Michael John LaChiusa; and conductor Xian Zhang, among many others.

The Hunt Family Award, endowed by Lincoln Center Board member David Hunt, his wife, Alice, and his brother, Bruce, is given annually to a classical artist honoree nominated by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. This award was established as a testament to the Hunt family's long dedication to the performing arts, beginning with David's parents, Margot and Alan. The award marks the family's commitment to budding talent at Lincoln Center and celebrates rising stars at the annual Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists.