Biography

The NYChillharmonic is a Brooklyn-based, 18 piece, progressive-jazz/indie-rock orchestra lead by vocalist/composer/multi-instrumentalist, Sara McDonald. The music fuses multiple genres including rock, pop, and jazz, which ultimately creates an ensemble sound that acknowledges the tradition of jazz as much as it sonically embraces experimental textures, arrangements, and harmonies. The group has had notable performances at festivals and venues all over the world including; The Montreal Jazz Festival, Perth International Jazz Festival, Buenos Aires International Jazz Festival, Keio University Jazz Fest (Tokyo), Moers Festival, Take The A Train Festival, Mazzstock Music Festival, The International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Northside Festival, CU Jazz Festival, Nublu Jazz Festival, ASCAP’s ‘Songwriters: The Next Generation’ Showcase at The John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington D.C., Jazzclub Unterfahrt in Munich Germany, The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, National Sawdust, (le) Poisson Rouge, and The Iridium in NYC. The music of The NYChillharmonic has been performed across 5 continents, in 10 different countries with over 400 musicians. NYChillharmonic compositions have twice been awarded ASCAP’s ‘Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award’ and once-awarded the ASCAP ‘Phoebe Jacobs Prize.' Sara was also included in Brooklyn Magazines annual "30 under 30" list, highlighting successful musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs in NYC.