UIC jazz saxophonist named Guggenheim fellow

Prominent jazz saxophonist, composer and University of Illinois Chicago faculty member Jon Irabagon has been awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, one of the nation's most competitive honors for creative artists and scholars.

The fellowship, announced April 14 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, recognizes exceptional creative ability and significant promise for future achievement.

Irabagon, an adjunct lecturer in the School of Theatre and Music at UIC since 2023, is internationally known for his innovative work as a musician and composer who bridges experimental composition, improvisation and the jazz tradition. He is among 223 scientists, scholars, writers and artists representing 10 countries, selected from nearly 5,000 applicants, for the 2026 Guggenheim cohort.

He said receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship validates his musical philosophies and direction, and encourages him to keep going.

"It means a lot to be in a cohort with so many people I admire and respect, and it definitely places more responsibility on me as I try to pursue my own musical voice," Irabagon said.

The fellowship will support Irabagon's continued work in creating original music for his quartet, featuring some of New York City's "most forward-thinking and innovative musicians," he said. At the core of the ensemble are Matt Mitchell on piano and Fender Rhodes electric piano, Chris Lightcap on electric and upright bass and Dan Weiss on drums.

At UIC, Irabagon teaches and mentors emerging musicians in jazz saxophone, direct combos and courses in jazz history.

Irabagon has released numerous critically acclaimed recordings as a bandleader and collaborator, and he continues to perform at major venues and festivals around the world. He is also a recipient of awards and grants for excellence in improvisation and composition.

Some of his previous honors include the 2008 Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition the Rising Star award in Downbeat Magazine for both alto and tenor saxophones and a 2014 Philippine Presidential Award, the highest civilian honor a Filipino living abroad can receive for contributions to the perception of Filipinos worldwide. He was named one of New York City's 25 Jazz Icons by Time Out New York.

"Our new class of Guggenheim Fellows is representative of the world's best thinkers, innovators and creators in art, science and scholarship," said Edward Hirsch, president of the Guggenheim Foundation. "As the Foundation enters its second century and looks to the future, I feel confident that this new class of 223 individuals will do bold and inspiring work, undaunted by the challenges ahead."

Since its founding in 1925, the foundation has awarded nearly $450 million in fellowships to more than 19,000 individuals.

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Brian Flood
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