2026 Special Commission Recipient
2026 Special Commission Winner
This year’s Special Commission for Modern Tango Quintet included 171 commissions from 28 countries. After careful consideration, the judging panel awarded Juan Pablo Jofre the $12,500 commission to write a new work for tango quintet to be premiered by Quinteto Revolucionario, the Ramiro Gallo Quintet and SONICO.
Native from San Juan, Argentina, Juan Pablo Jofre Romarion aka JP Jofre, is a GRAMMY® Award-nominated composer and bandoneon player. Mr. Jofre has been repeatedly highlighted by the New York Times and praised as one of today’s leading artists by Great Performers at Lincoln Center. His music has been recorded by the legendary London Symphony Orchestra, 16 times Grammy winner Paquito D’ Rivera, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra among others.
2026 Special Commission Honorable Mention
The judges also granted Mathias Naon of Argentina, the distinction of Honorable Mention
Born into a family of Argentine musicians, Mathias is a violinist, composer, and arranger. A curious and versatile artist, he has practiced and studied disciplines as diverse as violin, conducting, composition, orchestration, and musicology. He is a leading figure in contemporary tango, exploring both the genre's most traditional aspects and its most modern expressions.
