Terence Blanchard

Terence Blanchard is recognized as a versatile figure in American music, known for his work as a jazz trumpeter, film composer, opera composer, and educator. Blanchard replaced Wynton Marsalis in Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, serving as musical director for several years. He also co-led a quintet with saxophonist Donald Harrison, recording five albums during the 1980s. Blanchard's self-titled debut album for Columbia Records reached third on the Billboard Jazz Charts. He has released 20 solo albums, received 15 Grammy nominations, composed for the stage and for more than 60 films, and completed 10 major commissions.

Blanchard's contributions to film scoring are significant within the jazz community. He began his film career by playing trumpet for Spike Lee's "Mo' Better Blues" and has continued to collaborate with Lee, composing music for films including "Malcolm X," "Jungle Fever," "Crooklyn," "Clockers," "Summer of Sam," "Bamboozled," and "25th Hour." Blanchard has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Original Score for "BlacKkKlansman" and "Da 5 Bloods," both directed by Lee. He became only the second African-American composer to be nominated twice in the original score category at the Academy Awards, following Quincy Jones.

In opera, Blanchard's first work, "Champion," about boxer Emile Griffith, premiered with a libretto by Michael Cristofer and starred Denyce Graves. "Champion" debuted at the Metropolitan Opera to critical acclaim and won a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. His second opera, "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," based on the memoir by Charles Blow, premiered at the Metropolitan Opera, marking the first opera by an African American composer to premiere at the Met. The production reached tens of thousands in person and many more through The Met: Live in HD broadcasts.

Blanchard's recordings often address social issues, including human rights, civil rights, and racial injustice. His album "Breathless" serves as an elegy for Eric Garner, while other albums such as "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)" and "Magnetic" have received critical recognition. The New York Times has described his body of work as among the broadest and most imposing of any living jazz musician.

As an educator, Blanchard has held positions at Berklee College of Music, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has been named an NEA Jazz Master and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and serves as Executive Artistic Director for SFJAZZ. Blanchard has also been recognized with a United States Artists Fellowship and a Peabody Medal. His career spans jazz performance, film scoring, Broadway, and opera, reflecting a commitment to both artistic excellence and social engagement.