NOAM PIKELNY is widely recognized as the preeminent banjoist of his generation. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “pros’ top banjo picker,” Noam is a founding member of Punch Brothers, a string ensemble which The Boston Globe calls “a virtuosic revelation” and The New Yorker describes as “wide- ranging and restlessly imaginative.” Pikelny was awarded the first annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass and is a two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year. In 2019, Noam was awarded the “Best Folk Album” Grammy for the Punch Brothers’ release, All Ashore. Most recently, Noam has been performing with the new bluegrass band, Mighty Poplar, and co-hosting The Energy Curfew Music Hour, a Chris Thile and Punch Brothers musical variety podcast released by Audible in Fall of 2024.