Abrielle Scharff and Natalia Bonfini named grand prize winners of The Music Hall's 2026 Emerging Artist Grant
Free outdoor pre-show celebration will feature additional grant award winners ahead of John
Legend's Emerging Artist Benefit Concert on May 2
PORTSMOUTH– The Music Hall is thrilled to announce the winners of its 2026 Emerging Artist Grant Program, selected from more than 40 submissions. This year’s Grand Prize Winners – Abrielle Scharff and Natalia Bonfini – will open for Grammy-winning artist John Legend during The Music Hall’s fourth annual Emerging Artist Benefit
Concert on Saturday, May 2.
Before the main event, the public is invited to a FREE Outdoor Pre-Show Celebration on Chestnut Street directly in front of The Music Hall’s Historic Theater from 5-7pm, featuring performances by three additional grant winners: Dom the Composer, Tyler Levs, and Henry Honkonen.
A limited number of tickets remain for John Legend: An Evening of Songs & Stories at The Music Hall’s Historic Theater. Proceeds from the Emerging Artist Benefit Concert directlysupport The Music Hall’s mission while helping champion the next generation of artists.
“These five artists represent exactly the kind of originality, ambition, and momentum this program is designed to support,” said James Paone, senior director of live programming & front of house at The Music Hall and curator of the Emerging Artist Grant. “We’re proud to invest in their growth and invite our community to discover their work as part of this year’s Emerging Artist Benefit Concert celebration.”
Through the Emerging Artist Grant Program, The Music Hall awards two $5,000 grand prize grants and three $2,500 runner-up grants to musicians actively performing contemporary music. The funding supports artists’ professional development, from live opportunities and recording time to music videos, marketing assets, and career-building strategies. In addition to financial support, recipients benefit from The Music Hall’s valuable industry
connections.
2026 Grand Prize Winners – Performing at the Historic Theater
Abrielle Scharff
Hailing from Portsmouth, Abrielle Scharff pairs a powerhouse voice with a singer-songwriter sensibility shaped by classic rock and family musical legacy. She has performed on stages from London to New York, opened for artists including Patty Griffin and Ruston Kelly, and earned a top-ten finish in the Brandi Carlile Cover Stories Contest.
Natalia Bonfini A blues-driven powerhouse and award-winning songwriter, Natalia Bonfini honed her storytelling while busking in Provincetown before rising to the Top 50 on American Idol. Following the release of her EP Beyond the Broken Pieces, she has continued to build her reputation as a compelling live performer.
2026 Grant Award Winners – Performing at the Free Outdoor Pre-Show
Celebration
Dom the Composer
The Boston area-based Haitian-American singer-songwriter creates music with rhythm,
blues, and a whole lot of soul. Rooted in his earliest experiences with the All Saints Choir of
Men & Boys in Ashmont, his sound draws inspiration from artists such as Bill Withers, Daniel
Caesar, and Lizzy McAlpine.
Tyler Levs
Maine-based singer-songwriter Tyler Levs blends folk, rock, and pop into a dynamic sound
that has helped him build a global audience through live streaming. A versatile loopstation
artist and producer, he continues to expand his reach both as a solo performer and through
his duo project, MUTU4L.
Henry Honkonen
Henry Honkonen is an artist, songwriter, and producer from Southern Maine, now based in Nashville, Tennessee. With more than 500,000 followers across platforms, he is building a movement rooted in authenticity and faith. His work spans two sides of one creative identity: Hen and Honk.
Event Schedule – Saturday, May 2
5-7PM – Chestnut Street Party (FREE & open to the public)
● Live music from Emerging Artist Grant Award winners Dom the Composer, Tyler
Levs, and Henry Honkonen
● Cash bar | No ticket required
7PM – Emerging Artist Benefit Concert (VERY LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE)
● Featuring Grand Prize Winners Abrielle Scharff & Natalia Bonfini
● Headliner: John Legend
About the Emerging Artist Grant Program
The Music Hall is committed to uplifting the next generation of artists. Through the Emerging Artist Grant Program, The Music Hall is expanding that support beyond their stages by offering direct financial assistance to rising musicians. These funds are designed to fuel professional growth—helping artists book live shows, cover studio and recording expenses, create music videos, and invest in marketing assets and strategies. In addition to financial backing, grant recipients benefit from The Music Hall’s industry expertise and network, gaining access to valuable mentorship and connections to help take their careers to the next level.
Applicants must have ties to New England and be actively performing. Artists signed to
major labels or booking agencies are not eligible. Recipients are selected based on artistic
merit and alignment with The Music Hall’s vision to spotlight tomorrow’s superstars today.
About the Benefit
The Emerging Artist Benefit Concert is The Music Hall’s signature fundraising event, making it possible to showcase artists like the 100+ emerging talents who have performed at The Music Hall’s venues over the past 20 years. With elevated ticket prices that include a 50% tax-deductible donation, your contribution helps to present the next generation of superstars.
Funds for this mission-aligned event are raised through:
● Concert sponsorships ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
● Concert ticket sales, which include a 50% tax-deductible donation to The Music
Hall.
Proceeds from this event directly support The Music Hall’s mission to invigorate audiences,
nurture healthy communities, and drive economic vitality in the region. Previous headliners
have included Sara Bareilles in 2025, Jason Mraz in 2024, and Brandi Carlile in 2023.
This year’s headliner, John Legend, is an EGOT-winning, critically acclaimed, multiplatinum
artist and producer who has garnered 13 Grammy® Awards, an Academy Award®, a Golden
Globe® Award, a Tony® Award and four Emmy® Awards, among others. Legend is one of
only nineteen people in the prestigious EGOT club—a feat that places him among the most
versatile entertainers in history. From recording studios to Broadway stages, from film sets
to television screens, he's proven himself a creative force who transcends boundaries and
redefines what it means to be a modern artist.
About the Emerging Artist Series
The Emerging Artist Series is The Music Hall’s ongoing initiative to spotlight exceptional
talent on the rise. For decades, we’ve showcased artists poised for national attention,
providing them with a platform to perform, grow their audience, and develop
professionally.
Recent Emerging Artist Series performers include Carly Pearce, Brandy Clark & Hayes Carll,
Madison Cunningham, Nolan Taylor, Chris Pierce, Amythyst Kiah, Smithfield, The
Wellermen, Haley Reinhart, and many more.
The Music Hall offers gratitude to the patrons and sponsors who have supported this
thrilling endeavor to nurture and celebrate the next generation of superstars, all while
ensuring the organization's mission thrives:
Event Sponsors: Karen & David Della Penta; Gail & Fran DiNuzzo Family Foundation
Emerging Artist Grant Donors: Karen & David Della Penta
Angel Sponsors: Ben Auger & Auger Building Company; Tricia Bannan; Jude Blake & Mike
Bailey; Pam & Jack Blalock; Beverly Bruce; Bill & Cindy Burke; Eric & Jen Chinburg; Karen &
David Della Penta; Zoi & John Diamond; Steve Gaykan; Suzanne & Jay McFarland; Amy & Ben
McLaughlin; Ed Mehigen; John & Michelle Morris; Vicki & Tod O’Dowd; Shaheen & Gordon;
Sheehan Phinney Law Firm; Schleyer Family Foundation; Carter & Josh Siegel, Bobbie Sweet;
David & Susan Wolowitz
Student Ticket Underwriters: Gail & Fran DiNuzzo Family Foundation
ABOUT THE MUSIC HALL
The Music Hall, established in 1878 as a Vaudeville theater, has become a cornerstone of
Portsmouth’s vibrant arts scene. Over nearly 150 years, it has evolved into a premier
performing arts center, featuring two distinct venues: the landmark Victorian-era Historic
Theater, designated an American Treasure by the National Park Service, and the modern
Music Hall Lounge, an intimate 116-seat cabaret-style space. Together, they host over
130,000 patrons annually, offering a diverse array of live performances and on-screen
programming that foster creativity and community.
In 2024, The Music Hall expanded its cultural offerings by taking over the New Hampshire
Film Festival (NHFF), the state’s longest-running film festival, which attracts thousands of
visitors each fall with independent films, panels, and networking events. That same year, it
opened a new Members Club with McKeon’s Bar and the Box Office & Ticketing Hub, housed
in the historic Kearsarge House on Congress Street. This exclusive speakeasy-style club
allows members and sponsors direct access to the Historic Theater.
Since 1987, The Friends of The Music Hall, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, have upheld its mission: to
present diverse, high-quality arts programming as a vital cultural hub for the Seacoast
community. Today, The Music Hall continues to enrich Portsmouth’s cultural fabric with
world-class entertainment by generating over $15M in economic impact to the downtown
economy.
For more information on the Music Hall please visit www.TheMusicHall.org. Or follow on
social media: Twitter: @MusicHall | Facebook: /musichall | Instagram: @musichallnh |
YouTube: /musichallnh
