GU Music Program Prof. Carlos Simon Awarded 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence
Composer Carlos Simon, a faculty member of the Georgetown University Music Program, has been named a recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence.
The Sphinx Medal of Excellence is the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, recognizing extraordinary classical musicians of color. Along with a $50,000 career grant, Sphinx annually awards the Medals of Excellence to three artists who, early in their career, demonstrate artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, and an ongoing commitment to leadership and their communities.
Prof. Carlos Simon, along with fellow medalists conductor Lina González-Granados and oboist Titus Underwood, will be honored at a private luncheon co-hosted by The Kennedy Center and celebrated at a black-tie gala dinner in Washington, D.C., on March 31, 2021.
“Amidst this challenging yet transformative time, the commitment to excellence demonstrated by Lina González-Granados, Carlos Simon, and Titus Underwood, offer all of us hope and vision for a more just and equitable future. They stand upon the mighty shoulders of generations of Black and Latinx artists who have made significant contributions to the world of music. The opportunity to help empower their careers today is a true privilege: together, we look forward to witnessing how they will help transform our field,” says Sphinx President and Artistic Director, Afa S. Dworkin.
Read the full press release or visit http://www.sphinxmusic.org/sphinx-medals-of-excellence/ to learn more.
About Carlos Simon
Carlos Simon is a native of Atlanta, Georgia whose music ranges from concert music for large and small ensembles to film scores with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-romanticism. Recent commissions have come from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Reno Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra, Arizona State University Symphony
Orchestra, Irving Klein String Competition. Simon’s latest album, MY ANCESTOR’S GIFT, was released on the Navona Records label in April 2018. Described as an “overall driving force” (Review Graveyard) and featured on Apple Music’s “Albums to Watch.” As a part of the Sundance Institute, Simon was named as a Sundance Composer Fellow in 2018, which was held at the historic Skywalker Ranch. His string quartet, “Elegy,” honoring the lives of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner was recently performed at the Kennedy Center for the Mason Bates JFK Jukebox Series. Simon earned his doctorate degree at the University of Michigan, where he studied with Michael Daugherty and Evan Chambers. He has also received degrees from Georgia State University and Morehouse College. He has served as a member of the music faculty at Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and now serves as Assistant Professor at Georgetown University.