Emerging Black Composers: Do Better

Christopher Thompson

Winner of the Sixth Annual Emerging Black Composers Project

Photo Courtesy S.F. Symphony

Christopher Thompson is the winner of the sixth annual Emerging Black Composers Project. He will receive a $15,000 prize, mentoring, and a performance by SFS. Congratulations to him; I'm looking forward to hearing his new work.

Here are the six winners of the prize. all men:

• Christopher Thompson
• Kyle Rivera
• Tyler Taylor
• Xavier Muzik
• Jens Ibsen
• Trevor Weston

Here are the seven winners of the additional prizes, of whom five are men and two are women:

• Jonathan Bingham
• Quenton Xavier Blache
• Jordyn Davis
• Tyson Gholston Davis
• Nathaniel Heyder
• Shawn Okpebholo
• Sumi Tonooka

A total of 13 winners, 11 of whom are men. There is a problem here, whether it's in who is submitting their scores or in the selection process. I've heard a lot of new music in the last 20-plus years and there just is not a quality imbalance like this between men and women.