Matteo Prefumo Wins the Grand Prize at the 2025 Made in New York Jazz Competition

Jazz guitarist and composer Matteo Prefumo, has been awarded the Grand Prize at the 2025 Made in New York Jazz Competition, one of the most internationally recognized and innovative jazz contests. The award was decided by a jury of jazz legends: Randy Brecker, Lenny White, and Mike Stern.

Prefumo entered the competition with his original piece “A New Beginning”, performed alongside an outstanding ensemble:

• Tony Tixier – Piano
• Josh Ginsburg – Db. Bass
• Francesco Ciniglio – Drums

The performance stood out among nearly 40 finalists, selected from hundreds of submissions across five categories: solo instrumental, solo vocal, small band, composition, and arrangement. “A New Beginning” received the highest number of online votes in the “Composers” category, before being selected by the jury as the overall Grand Prize winner for the 2025 edition.

“This award truly means the world to me. Having my music heard and recognized by legends like Randy Brecker, Lenny White, and Mike Stern is something I’ll never forget,” says Prefumo. “A New Beginning is a very personal piece — it’s the first extended-form composition I’ve ever recorded, and probably the first that truly reflects how harmony and melody sound in my mind. I grew up watching the Brecker Brothers’ Live in Barcelona VHS on repeat — that band, with Mike on guitar, shaped my ears. And Lenny White has always been one of my favorite drummers, from Return to Forever to Chick Corea and Freddie Hubbard”.

Founded by Michael Brovkine in 2010, Made in New York Jazz evolved from a local festival into a global movement. Since launching the first online jazz competition in 2013, it has attracted entries from over 70 countries. Performances are judged through a hybrid process: public online voting and a panel of globally respected artists, including John Lee, Wayne Escoffery, Manuel Valera, Edsel Gomez, etc.

This recognition marks Matteo Prefumo’s second major international award in less than a year. In December 2024, he was awarded the ISJAC Rule Beasley Prize in Jazz Leadsheet Composition for his piece “The Way It Is!”, premiered live as a special guest with Joe Locke’s American group, featuring Joe Locke (vibraphone), Jim Ridl (piano), Lorin Cohen (double bass), and Vladimir Kostadinovic (drums). The prize is issued by the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC), whose president is acclaimed pianist and arranger John Beasley.