Luca Mendoza (24) is a multi-genre pianist, composer and producer. Gaining early success in the art music world, he’d been named a Los Angeles Philharmonic Composer Fellow, premiered multiple orchestral pieces in Disney Hall, received multiple ASCAP awards, and toured as a performer in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas, all before turning 20. As a freshman undergrad at USC, Downbeat named him Best College Soloist.

Over the past few years, his music has dealt more heavily with digital sounds, engaging with hip-hop, popular, and electronic music. As a producer, he’s worked with clients ranging from influencers with millions of followers to multiple Grammy Award winning artists. His artist project under the name Lumen pulls from his experience in jazz and the classical avant-garde to bring unique depth to electronic and pop music.

He is also a Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Grand Prize Winner, a National YoungArts Foundation Finalist, a Candidate for Presidential Scholar of the Arts, JEN Finalist, and one of two all time Monterey NextGen Jazz Festival “Triple Crown Winners.” He is also a recipient of the Presser Award, Gerald Wilson Award, and 10 Downbeat SMA Awards, as well as a member of the 2018 Ravinia Steans Institute, the 2018 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and the 2017 NARAS Grammy Band.

He is the musical director for the Grammy Songwriting program and Nominee events and a lecturer at the University of Southern California.