“a catalyzing, crystalizing moment for the Louisiana new music community.”
-B.K. Zervigón
Launched in 2025, Batture Contemporary is an annual new music festival showcasing the diverse array of composers and performers based in Louisiana. The festival includes concerts, workshops, and open rehearsals free and open to the public in venues throughout the city of New Orleans.
Versipel New Music is delighted to announce the winning composers and works for the 2026 Batture Contemporary Festival:
Byron Asher, Phoenix
Lewis Blakley, Hambre Insaciable
K. Tiser Blankenship, Buzzards
Cory Diane*, New Ways
Keri Devilynn, Hyperspace
Kerem Ergener and David Walters, Machaut’s Puis Qu’en Oubli
Jeremi W. Edwards, Essence of Water
Jinxin Fu*, Impression on Dongba
Tucker Fuller, I Remember
Mara Gibson, Ephemera
Ryan Harrison, Songs for a Girl
Filipe de Matos Rocha, String Quartet No. 1 in C Neapolitan Major: Djavaniando Meshuggah and Reich
Odaline de la Martinez, Four Afro Cuban Poems
Jeffrey Perry, Variations on an Anthropocene Theme
Elise Poché, Sonata for Solo Violin
Christopher Trapani, Slow Smoke
Ben Robichaux, Portraits for Brass Quintet
Nathan Wheeler, Nusuth
*not pictured
Please join us in congratulating these incredible composers!
Hear the winning compositions in New Orleans during the Festival, Sept. 18-20, 2026.
Concert #1
Quartetto Obrigado
Thursday, September 18 – 6:00pm
New Marigny Theatre
Program
(tap/click to expand program notes)Chasing Baby Bumblebees (1997) – Stephen David BeckPlumb (1999) – Mara Gibson
I. Cantabile
II. 120Tracers for saxophone quartet and piano (2019) – Philip Schuessler
INTERMISSIONSaxophone Quartet No. 1 – The Pentagonal Square (2001) – Ben StonakerAdagio Notturno (2011) – Alan TheisenThe Great Boil Escape (2025) – Mendel Lee
** WORLD PREMIERE
Quartetto Obrigado:
Griffin Campbell – soprano saxophone
Taylor Barbay Assad – alto saxophone
Jennifer C. Foret – tenor saxophone
Brina Bourliea – baritone saxophone
with:
Ryan Lemoine – alto saxophone
Paloma Gonzalez – piano
Batture Contemporary 2026 is supported in part by:
- a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by Arts New Orleans. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment of the Arts.
- a grant from the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund
