Performances + Events
Sara Serpa
Education and Training
MM, New England Conservatory
Awards and Recognition
2024-2025, Gidest Fellowship, The New School, New York
2019-2022, Artist-In-Residence, Park Avenue Armory, New York
2022, NYFA/NYSCA Artists Fellowship
2022, Aaron Copland Recording Fund
2022, USArtists international, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation
2021, Herb Alpert/ Ragdale Prize in Music Composition
2021, USArtists international, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation
2021, Fundação GDA (Portugal) Recording Grant
2021, Vocalist of the Year El Intruso (International Jazz Critics Poll)
2020, Vocalist of the Year, The NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll
2020, Musician of The Year - jazz.pt (Portuguese magazine)
2020, Vocalist of the Year El Intruso (International Jazz Critics Poll)
2020, Jazz Coalition Grant
2020, NYC Women’s Fund
2019, Female Vocalist - Rising Star, Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll
2019, Foundation For Contemporary Arts, Touring Grant
2019, Chamber Music America, New Jazz Works
2019, New Music USA Grant 2018 John Zorn Commissioning Series at National Sawdust
Female Rising Star, Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
2010, Musician of the Year, O Público (Portuguese main newspaper)
2006 - 2008, Graduate Scholarship, New England Conservatory of Music
2005, World Scholarship Tour, Berklee College of Music
2018, Fundação GDA- Portugal, National Touring Grant
Described by the New York Times as “a singer of silvery poise and cosmopolitan outlook,” and by the JazzTimes magazine as “a master of wordless landscapes,” Serpa started her recording and performing career with jazz luminaries such as Grammy-nominated pianist, Danilo Perez, Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow pianist, Ran Blake, and Greg Osby. As a leader, she has produced and released eleven albums, the latest being Night Birds in collaboration with guitarist André Matos. Serpa has been active in gender equity in music and is the co-founder (along with fellow musician Jen Shyu) of Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³), an organization created to empower and elevate musicians from underrepresented gender identities.
Curriculum Vitae
MM, New England Conservatory
- 2024-2025, Gidest Fellowship, The New School, New York
- 2019-2022, Artist-In-Residence, Park Avenue Armory, New York
- 2022, NYFA/NYSCA Artists Fellowship
- 2022, Aaron Copland Recording Fund
- 2022, USArtists international, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation
- 2021, Herb Alpert/ Ragdale Prize in Music Composition
- 2021, USArtists international, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation
- 2021, Fundação GDA (Portugal) Recording Grant
- 2021, Vocalist of the Year El Intruso (International Jazz Critics Poll)
- 2020, Vocalist of the Year, The NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll
- 2020, Musician of The Year - jazz.pt (Portuguese magazine)
- 2020, Vocalist of the Year El Intruso (International Jazz Critics Poll)
- 2020, Jazz Coalition Grant
- 2020, NYC Women’s Fund
- 2019, Female Vocalist - Rising Star, Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll
- 2019, Foundation For Contemporary Arts, Touring Grant
- 2019, Chamber Music America, New Jazz Works
- 2019, New Music USA Grant 2018 John Zorn Commissioning Series at National Sawdust
- Female Rising Star, Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- 2010, Musician of the Year, O Público (Portuguese main newspaper)
- 2006 - 2008, Graduate Scholarship, New England Conservatory of Music
- 2005, World Scholarship Tour, Berklee College of Music
- 2018, Fundação GDA- Portugal, National Touring Grant
Affiliated Departments and Programs
Jazz Studies
