Producer's Note: While Arts Unscripted is on summer hiatus, we're re-sharing a few of our favorite episodes from past seasons. Carlos Simon is the the inaugural Composer Chair of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Composer-in-Residence since 2021 at the Kennedy Center. Since we recorded earlier this year, his Good News Mass keeps finding new orchestras and new audiences. With its Midwest premiere on July 31st at Ravinia Music Festival, what better moment to go back and hear how Carlos has built his body of work.

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Music has the power to move a room. For composer Carlos Simon, that effect was first felt in church, where music was both a creative act and a shared experience. 

Raised in a family steeped in ministry and musical tradition, Carlos grew up surrounded by gospel, jazz, and the spontaneity of worship. From playing organ by ear during Sunday services to his later work with orchestras, film, and opera, he has built a compositional voice that blurs boundaries: bridging sacred and secular, improvisation and form, tradition and innovation.

In this episode, Carlos traces his path to becoming one of today’s most sought-after composers and the first-ever Composer Chair for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Along the way, he offers insight into the deeply collaborative nature of his work and frames musical composition as an act of service.

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LINKS:

Carlos Simon: https://www.carlossimonmusic.com/

brea(d)th: https://www.carlossimonmusic.com/album/brea-d-th

Monuments: A Suite for DC: https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/festivals-series/250-years-of-us/sounds-of-us/monuments/

The Blacknificent 7: https://www.instagram.com/blacknificentseven/