Anouk Chemla '26 Named Semifinalist in 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition

Alumna Anouk Chemla '26 has been named one of eleven semifinalists in the 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition, which takes place October 10–11 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Selected from hundreds of applicants worldwide, Chemla earned her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at NEC after initial classical piano training in Paris. Her career trajectory includes selection for the 2025 Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center and performances at major venues such as the Philharmonie de Paris, Le Grand Rex, and the Panama Jazz Festival.

This year marks the first time in the competition's nearly four-decade history that the event is taking place outside the United States. During the semifinals on October 10, Chemla will present a 15-minute selection of three songs alongside a rhythm section featuring pianist Carmen Staaf '05 NEC/Tufts, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Kendrick Scott. She will perform before a distinguished panel of judges comprising Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Gretchen Parlato, and Gregory Porter. If selected as one of three finalists, she will compete on October 11 for over $100,000 in prizes, including a $50,000 first-place award. The NEC community can watch both rounds streamed live worldwide on medici.tv, YouTube, and the Herbie Hancock Institute website.

Congratulations and best of luck to Anouk!