Prize Recipients

Du Yun receives the Vilcek Prize in Music for her open approach to composition, which subverts the boundaries of traditional classical music by incorporating influences from punk, electronic, experimental music, and for the virtuosity of her Pulitzer Prize–winning opera, Angel’s Bone.

Arooj Aftab receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Music for her evocative songs and compositions that incorporate a range of influences from semi-classical Pakistani music and Urdu poetry, to jazz harmonies and experimental music.

Juan Pablo Contreras receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Music for his work as a composer and conductor of orchestral music that draws on his Mexican heritage, and for his leadership in founding the Orquesta Latino Mexicana.

Yo-Yo Ma receives the Vilcek Prize for Contemporary Music for his superb artistry as a master cellist and his daring versatility that spans genres as diverse as tango, bluegrass, and the folk music of China, Japan, and Central Asia.

Tigran Hamasyan receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Contemporary Music for skillfully blending Armenian folk music, classical music, beatboxing, and funk to create a unique jazz sound.