Episode 143 Carlos Simon

Carlos Simon

Having grown up in Atlanta, with a long lineage of preachers and connections to gospel music to inspire him, GRAMMY-nominated Carlos Simon’s music ranges from concert music for large and small ensembles, to film scores, with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-romanticism.

Carlos is the current composer-in-residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and he frequently composes for its National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera.

This past season featured the premiere of his Gospel Mass, with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a work reimagining the traditional mass with gospel soloists and choir, with visual creations from Melina Matsoukas.

Carlos frequently curates concert programs, which often highlight his own music as well as that of close collaborators. Curation concerts have recently been programmed by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Boston Chamber Players, Tanglewood Festival for Contemporary Music, and the Kennedy Center.

Carlos also released the live premiere recording of brea(d)th, a landmark work commissioned by Minnesota Orchestra and written in collaboration with Marc Bamuthi Joseph, conducted by Jonathan Taylor Rush. “Arguably the most important commission of Simon’s career so far.” (The New York Times), brea(d)th was written following George Floyd’s murder, as a direct response to America’s unfulfilled promises and history of systemic oppression against Black Americans.

I’m especially proud to have discussed the piece with Carlos in this episode.