McKnight Fellowships

MacPhail Center for Music is proud to be the administrative home for McKnight Fellowships for Musicians

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists and culture bearers thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts and culture program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists and culture bearers has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982. The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 15 different creative disciplines. Program partner organizations administer the fellowships and structure them to respond to the unique challenges of different disciplines. Currently, the foundation contributes about $2.8 million per year to its statewide fellowships. For more information, visit mcknight.org/artistfellowships.

McKnight Fellowships for Musicians are intended to recognize and support mid-career musicians living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, artistic excellence, a distinctive musical voice, and a significant performing career over a period of time. The program’s musicians are committed to honoring the breadth of Minnesota musicians of all genres; aesthetically, geographically, and culturally. If you are a performing musician in any genre, MacPhail Center for Music invites you to apply for a McKnight Fellowship for Musicians.

Application and More Information

Eligibility Requirements

Meet Current Recipients

View past Recipients

Congratulations to the 2026 McKnight Musician Fellows!

LEARN MORE

About the McKnight Fellowships for Musicians

Application Information
Information on applying for 2027 will be available in early fall 2026.

With the generous support of the McKnight Foundation, MacPhail awards four $25,000 fellowships to outstanding and distinctive musicians applying as solo artists or small ensembles/bands. The McKnight Artist and Culture Bearers Fellowship intends to recognize and support artists and culture bearers who are beyond emerging and have sustained experience in their practice area. Fellows demonstrate achievement, commitment, and high-level proficiency in artistic and/or culture bearer practice that contributes to their field and impacts and benefits people in Minnesota. The unrestricted awards can help an artist set aside periods of time for study, reflection, experimentation, and exploration, take advantage of an opportunity, or work on a new project. Bands/ensembles that are recognized as finalists and/or fellowship recipients will split awards between members; individual band/ensemble members will not each receive the full award amount. Awards are subject to state and federal income tax guidelines.

McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships Community Values

Welcome to the McKnight Artist Fellowships community! The McKnight Foundation and the administering partners for the McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships are committed to creating and supporting an artistic community where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships community includes people who engage with the fellowships program whether as applicants, fellows, panelists, contractors, collaborators, fellowships administrators, and staff of the McKnight Foundation and partnering organizations. As a community, we commit to creating and maintaining relationships free from harm, prejudice, and harassment. Community members agree to communicate directly and transparently regarding issues of conduct that could negatively impact the well-being of participating members and organizations. In the case of an accusation, legal action, or conviction, the McKnight Foundation and its fellowship program partners may gather and assess relevant information. If deemed necessary, the McKnight Foundation and its fellowship program partners may take administrative action up to and including the recommendation of participation in reconciliation or restorative justice processes; disqualification of an application; the termination of a contract; and the recall and/or termination of a fellowship. This community will be what we make it, and we aim to collectively create an experience in which all artists and members of the McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships community can thrive.

Panel Members

A four-member panel of experienced and well-respected music professionals selects the McKnight Musician Fellows. The panel members are performing musicians, producers, composers, directors, and educators with an appreciation for and knowledge of a diverse range of musical styles and genres. All panelists are from outside the state of Minnesota. Panelists, insofar as possible, represent a diversity of age, ethnicity, gender, and geography.

The McKnight Fellowships for Musicians panelists remain anonymous during the selection process.

Review Process

Applicants are evaluated and selected based on the quality of their work as evidenced in submitted materials, most importantly, work samples. Distinctive musical voice, exceptional artistic merit, and the content of the artist statement will be considered during the selection process.

Consideration is given to accomplishments to date, promise for continued development, and the impact the fellowship will have on the artist. The panel will also be asked to consider the breadth of artistic practices among Minnesota musicians, which include a wide range of styles and genres that may be influenced by ethnicity, gender, and geography.

Solo artists and ensembles/bands in all styles compete together.

First Round Selection Process

Panelists will review the tracks submitted as a part of Work Sample A. The panel will choose approximately one-third of the applications to advance to the second round. Panelists are not given the names of applicants in the first round. Applicants will be notified about their application status via Acceptd the week of February 27. If selected to advance, applicants must submit materials to be considered during the second round, including additional work samples, a resume, and an artist statement by March 27.

Second Round Selection Process

The panelists will review the tracks submitted as a part of Work Sample A & Work Sample B, as well as the live performance video, résumés, and artist statements. After making individual selections from the full list of second-round applicants, panelists will meet via conference call to discuss the applicants who are of greatest interest to them. Nine solo artists/bands/ensembles will be selected to perform in the final auditions. Applicants will be notified about their application status via Accepted the week of May 8.

Finalist Auditions

Finalist Auditions:

Finalists are invited to perform for the panel at MacPhail Center for Music on Friday, June 5, 2026.

All finalists must be present on June 5 to be considered for a fellowship – no exceptions.

Finalists receive a $1,000 honorarium for their performance; the honorarium is considered part of the $25,000 award for fellowship recipients.

Finalists present a live performance of no longer than 20 minutes; panelists have up to an additional 15 minutes to ask questions and talk with each artist/band/ensemble.

Panelists consider the performance and conversation with finalists, along with previously submitted materials, when selecting four solo artist/band/ensemble fellowship recipients.

Finalists are not required to perform works from their online submissions at the final audition.

Performance times are scheduled by lottery.

Finalists are notified of the judges’ decision by phone no later than 9:30 p.m. on June 5.

Eligibility

Please read carefully. Applicants who do not meet the following criteria and expectations will not be considered and should not apply.

Eligibility Requirements

This program intends to recognize and support mid-career artists living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate sustained accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence. Artists who are eligible for these fellowships:

  • Have or maintain MN residency for at least one year before application and for the fellowship year.
  • Are beyond emerging with a body of work that demonstrates a sustained level of accomplishment and commitment to an artistic practice.
  • Can only apply to one McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship in any artistic discipline within a year.
  • Can only apply as a solo artist or an ensemble/band member within a year.
  • Have not been a recipient of a McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship within any artistic discipline in the last five award years. Recipients of 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 McKnight fellowships in any discipline are not eligible.
  • Demonstrate growth and ongoing artistry since their most recent McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship.
  • Are not staff, board, or immediate family of the McKnight Foundation or fellowship administrative partners. (Independent contractors and faculty are not considered staff and are therefore eligible to apply).
  • Are not enrolled full-time in an academic program.

Ensemble/Band

  • Have performed together for three or more years with the same members and name as stated on the application.
  • Be made up of no more than five members.
  • Be an active ensemble/band, having at least four significant performances in each of the last three years. If the pandemic prevented your ensemble from performing four times in 2023 please contact Lindsay Lewis to discuss your eligibility.

Application Guidelines & Requirements

Work Samples
You must provide live or studio recordings totaling 24 minutes of material made in the last four years. Recordings should represent your highest quality, best work. Bands/ensembles must submit recordings that feature all band/ensemble members listed on the application. Recordings of solo artists and bands/ensembles can include accompaniment. However, the panelists should be able to easily identify and listen to the performance of the applicant. Panelists will have the knowledge of the instrument being performed. Do not include any introductory spoken commentary on your recordings.
Work Sample A

Time requirement: 4 minutes or less

Work Sample A should include one or more of the solo artists’ or ensembles’/bands’ works, which when added together, do not exceed a combined total of four minutes. Fading in or fading out a recording is acceptable to avoid exceeding the time allotted. Work Sample A is the only material reviewed by the panelists in the first round.

Applicants will be disqualified from the competition if the total time of all works included in Work Sample A exceeds 4 minutes.

It is recommended that all works be uploaded as individual tracks so that panelists may easily advance through the applicant’s recordings. Panelists will be asked to listen to each sample in its entirety in the order they are uploaded.

Work Sample B

Time requirement: 20 minutes or less

Work Sample B must contain two or more additional works, which, when added together, do not exceed a combined total of 20 minutes in length. Fading in or fading out of a piece of music is acceptable to avoid exceeding time allotted. The panelists will listen to Work Sample A and Work Sample B of all applicants who advance to the second round.

Applicants will be disqualified from the competition if the total time of all works included in Work Sample A exceeds 4 minutes or in Work Sample B exceeds 20 minutes.

It is recommended that all works be uploaded as individual tracks so that panelists may easily advance through the applicant’s recordings. Panelists will be asked to listen to each sample in its entirety in the order they are uploaded.

List of Works
Applicants must submit a supplementary page listing the names of the works and composers submitted on Work Sample A & B to be submitted as a PDF.
Video of a Live Performance
Upload a video of a live performance no longer than five minutes, made in the last four years. The video does not have to be in front of a live audience but must be unprocessed. The audio must be from the same take as the image. Clips from different recordings may be put together into one video to total up to five minutes. The video may or may not include songs performed in your Work Sample A & B recordings. Bands/ensembles must submit recordings that feature all band/ensemble members listed on the application. Recordings of solo artists and bands/ensembles can include accompaniment. However, the panelists should be able to easily identify and listen to the performance of the applicant.
Artist Statement

An artist statement no longer than 500 words.  Please type your artist statement in a word document and save it as a pdf to upload it to your application.

Your artist statement might address the following:

  • What is your background as a performing musician?
  • How would you describe your distinctive musical voice?
  • What do you see as the future of your art form and how does your work contribute to that?
  • On the spectrum of cultural advocacy from allyhood to cultural appropriation, where does your music lie?
  • What are you doing as a performing musician that isn’t already being done?
  • What is next for you as an artist?

If you are a previous McKnight Fellowship for Musicians recipient, please answer the following question:

  • How has your work developed since your last award?
Résumé

2-pages or less and be submitted as a PDF.

Submit a current résumé pertaining to the solo artist’s or band’s/ensemble’s music career that highlights your professional accomplishments and achievements including performances, recordings, awards and grants. Band/ensemble résumés should include at least 12 significant performances (4 per year) from the 3 years prior to the application deadline. Given the constraints caused by the pandemic, if the ensemble has fewer than 3 performances in 2023, the application will still be considered. If you had performances scheduled during 2023 that were canceled, please feel free to list those on your resume and indicate that they were canceled.

At the top of your résumé please include each applicants name (up to 5 for bands/ensembles), the solo artist’s/band’s/ensemble’s name, and corresponding instrument/s.

Résumés may not include: email addresses, website addresses, quotes or reviews, pictures, photographs, cover letters, or letters of recommendation.

Driver's License
Clearly legible copy of a driver’s license for each applicant or other proof of legal Minnesota residency is to be submitted as a PDF.

Current & Past McKnight Musician Fellows

Current & Past Recipients

2026 McKnight Fellowship for Musician Recipients

Helen Chang Haertzen (Hopkins)
Violin – Classical

Helen Chang Haertzen is a violinist with the Minnesota Orchestra and has appeared as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Staatsorchester Braunschweig. She was a former titled chair member of the Bamberger Symphoniker in Germany and toured all over Europe. Helen has recorded the Bach Solo Partitas with Cavalli Records and was a producer and artist for American Avenues on Centaur Records. She performs as a guest with various ensembles, most recently with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass at the Ravinia Festival. She is a grant recipient of the Artist Initiative funded by the MN State Arts Board. Helen studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and Salzburg Mozarteum in Austria. In her free time, Helen enjoys teaching and is a strong advocate for the next generation of professional musicians.

Kyle Motl (Minneapolis)
Double Bass – Improvisation / Contemporary Music

Kyle Motl is a bassist, composer, and improviser whose playing is noted for both “iridescent delicacy as well as abrasive force” (The Wire). His music “promise[s] to change us by revealing things we could never have imagined” (Free Jazz Collective). Motl’s work spans composed and improvised musics, including performances and recordings with Anthony Davis, Clucas/Motl/Hubbard, the Peter Kuhn Trio, Treesearch, Zarabanda Variations, International Contemporary Ensemble, and others. He is assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where he teaches double bass and contemporary music practices.

Michael Ward-Bergeman (Morris)
Accordion – World Music / Jazz / Folk

Michael Ward-Bergeman is a passionate performer, songwriter and composer. His sensitive and creative approach to music making has led to performances and collaborations with world-class musicians and composers from across a wide range of genres. Michael aims to remain faithful to the spirit that unites many of the world’s richest music traditions while continuing to develop his own unique voice.

Room3 (Minneapolis)
Ensemble – Jazz Fusion

Room3 is a jazz fusion wild card rooted in tradition yet driven by experimentation. Their sound is imaginative, melodic and rhythmically compelling, mixing elements of contemporary jazz, prog rock, funk and more. The collective operates out of Minneapolis, with Eli Awada on keyboards, Wormdove (aka Beck Anderson) on bass, RAWTWHYLAH (aka Colin Mitchell) on drums, Evan Espinoza Robles on percussion and Mike Green on guitar. Room3 has performed consistently at prestigious venues across the Twin Cities, from Dakota to the First Avenue Main Room, for over three years, and they were recently selected as one of First Avenue’s “Best New Bands of 2024.” Their debut album, “Bill’s Garden,” is out now.

 

2025-2026
Zach Baltich, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer, Sound Processing/Sampling Instrumental Percussion, Experimental Folk, Duluth
Mark Billy, Voice (Baritone) Classical, Opera, Indigenous, Clarinet, Native Flute, Minneapolis
Rachael Kilgour, Voice (Singer-Songwriter), Acoustic GuitarIndie Folk, Duluth
Nakara Forjé, Voice Hip Hop Soul, St. Paul

2024-2025
Andrew Brady, Bassoon – Classical, Minneapolis
Jaz Steele, Voice – RnB/Soul/Gospel/Hip-hop, Minneapolis
Paul Metzger, Modified Banjo – Improvisation, Saint Paul
Mike Kota, Voice, Guitar, Piano, Producer – Indie / Singer-Songwriter, Minneapolis

2023-2024
The Lioness (Shaiwna Adams), Vocalist, Hip Hop, Minneapolis
Rascal Miles, Voice, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass Guitar, Drum Set, Mandolin, Cello, Banjo, Percussion, Glockenspiel, Piano, Keyboards, Synths, Trombone, Soundscapes, Digital Audio Workstations Indie Art Rock; Minneapolis
EVV (Evelyn Speers), Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar, Blues, Metal, Indie, Jazz, Rock, Minneapolis
Ann DuHamel, piano, classical, Morris

2022-2023
Jaye Sinkfield, aka DIVAJ—Rapper, Hip-Hop, Saint Paul
Rebecca Merblum, Cello—Classical, Minneapolis
Lewis McCaleb aka Lewiee Blaze, Voice & Piano, Hip-Hop, Minneapolis
Paula Gudmundson, Flute—Classical, Vadnais Heights

2021-2022
Fode Bangoura, Djembe, West African Percussion, Brooklyn Park
Chastity Brown, Voice, Blues & Singer-Songwriter, Minneapolis
Chad Heslup aka Longshot, Vocals—Hip Hop, Minneapolis
Catherine Ramirez, Flute—Classical, Northfield

2020-2021
José A. Zayas Cabán, saxophone—new/classical, Minneapolis
PaviElle French, voice—soul, Columbia Heights
Diane Miller, a.k.a. D Mills, voice—Hip-Hop, folk, alternative, rock, Minneapolis
Kirsten Whitson, cello—classical, St. Paul

2019-2020
Sedra Bistodeau, violin and fiddle, Princeton
Gao Hong, traditional Chinese music, Northfield
Maria Isa, Afro-Latin hip-hop, St. Paul
Will Johnson (W/ILLS), post genre, St. Paul

2018-2019
Jonatha Brooke, singer-songwriter, Minneapolis
Kill the Vultures, hip-hop artists, Minneapolis
MaLLy, hip-hop artist, Minneapolis
Clara Osowski, vocalist (mezzo-soprano), Brooklyn Center

2017-2018
Tonia Hughes, voice, Minneapolis
Aida Shahghasemi, voice and composition, Minneapolis
Carrie Henneman Shaw, voice, Saint Paul
Tim Sparks, guitar, Burnsville

2016-2017
Francesca Anderegg – violin
Javier Santiago – jazz
Pooja Pavan – composer Tracey Engleman – voice

2015-2016
Atlantis Quartet – Zacc Harris, guitar; Brandon Wozniak, tenor saxophone; Chris Bates, double bass; Pete Hennig, drums
Troy King (King Fuvi), emcee and songwriter
Pat O’Keefe, clarinet and bass clarinet
Wilhelmina Smith, cellist

2014-2015
Danami Maurice Champion, songwriter, musician; from St. Paul
Ignacio Nachito Herrera, pianist, arranger and musical director; from White Bear Lake
Siama Matuzungidi, guitar; from Minneapolis
Jacqueline Ultan, cellist, composer; from Minneapolis

2013-2014
Haley Bonar, voice, guitar, piano, keyboard, from St. Paul
Cléa Galhano, recorder, from St. Paul
Paul Metzger, banjo, from St. Paul
Maiya Papach, viola, from St. Paul

2012-2013
Christopher Atzinger, piano, from Dundas
Gao Hong, pipa, from Northfield
Laura MacKenzie, flutes/pipes/whistles/concertina/voice, from Northfield
Karen Mueller, autoharp, from Minneapolis

2011-2012
Orkestar Bez Ime, Colleen Bertsch, violin/vocals; Dee Langley, accordion/vocals; Katrina Mundinger, clarinet/percussion/vocals; Natalie Nowytski, vocals/percussion
The Roe Family Singers, Quillan and Kim Roe
John Snow, oboe
Noah Hoehn, harmonic/marimba/voice/percussion

2010-2011
Bryan Nichols, pianist
Nirmala Rajasekar, veena player
Parker Quartet, Daniel Chong, violin; Karen Kim, violin; Jessica Bodner, viola; Kee-Hyun Kim, cello
Carrie Henneman Shaw, voice

2009-2010
Asako Hirabayashi, harpsichord
Bernhard David Scully, horn
Christopher Marshall, bassoon
Fora Baltacigil, double bass

2008-2009
Linda Chatterton, flutist
Sarah Kwak, violinist
Gao Hong, Chinese pipa player
Arek Tesarczyk, cellist

2007-2008
Noah Hoehn, harmonica player
David Karr, saxophone player
Charles Lazarus, trumpeter
Matthew Young, violist

2006-2007
Katja Linfield, cellist
Patrick Harison McPeck, accordionist
The Minneapolis Quartet, string quartet

2005-2006
Connie Evingson, vocalist
Amy and Sara Hamann, piano duo
Ross/Rapier Cello Duo
Voice Trek, vocal ensemble

2004-2005
Stephanie Arado, violinist
Artaria String Quartet
John Snow, oboist
Thomas Turner, violist

2003-2004
Steven Copes, violinist
Noah Hoehn, harmonica player
Dean Magraw, guitarist
Stephanie Wendt, pianist

2002-2003
Leibundguth-Witt Duo, flute & piano duo
Neal and Leandra, voice/guitar duo
Nina Tso-Ning Fan, violinist
Soyulla Duo, violin & cello duo

2001-2002
Dare to Breathe, vocal ensemble
Gao Hong, Chinese pipa player
Prudence Johnson, vocalist
Anthony Ross, cellist

2000-2001
The Bakken Trio, piano trio
Rosalyra Quartet, string quartet
Timothy Paradise, clarinetist
Connie Evingson, vocalist

1999-2000
Duologue, flute & guitar duo
Jorja Fleezanis, violinist
Diane Jarvi, vocalist & instrumentalist
Peter Mayer, vocalist/guitarist

1998-1999
Linda Chatterton, flutist
Laura MacKenzie, Celtic multi-instrumentalist
Ruth MacKenzie, vocalist
Sunita Staneslaw, harpist

1997-1998
Ensemble Capriccio, string trio
Gao Hong, Chinese pipa player
Shank-MacLaughlin Duo, violin & piano duo
Tadeusz Majewski, pianist

Contact & Resources

If you have questions after reviewing these guidelines, please contact:

Regarding Eligibility and Guidelines:
Lindsay Lewis
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 612-767-5586

Regarding the Online Application Software:
If you need help with the Acceptd website, please refer to the resources available at the Acceptd Help Desk. The Help Desk provides step-by-step articles and videos that will assist you with any technical issues you encounter. If you require further assistance, you can reach out to the Acceptd Support Team here.

If you need access to a computer or internet, consider going to your local public library or Springboard for the Arts.

McKnight Musician Fellows should feel free to use these logos which have been designed for McKnight Artist Fellows.

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