Cover Susie Ibarra wins Pulitzer Prize for Music 2025 (Photo: Ryan Lash)
Susie Ibarra wins Pulitzer Prize for Music 2025 (Photo: Ryan Lash)
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For her composition ‘Sky Islands’, Filipino-American composer, percussionist and sound artist Susie Ibarra bagged the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music
Susie Ibarra’s composition Sky Islands is a “musical call to action” that highlights Luzon’s high-altitude rainforests and their rich and fragile ecosystems. Commissioned by the Asia Society and premiered on July 18, 2024, it centres Filipino biodiversity and cultural heritage, incorporating traditional instruments such as northern-style bamboo, flutes and the kulintang.
This year, Ibarra received a Pulitzer Prize for her musical work. In its website, the award-giving body described her work as a “piece that draws awareness to dwindling biodiversity, changing climate and global community practices.”
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Above This Filipino-American composer won a Pulitzer Prize for her music (Photo: Tessa Fuqua)
This Filipino-American composer won a Pulitzer Prize for her music (Photo: Tessa Fuqua)
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Her piece was recognised above other notable entries, including The Comet by George Lewis, which premiered on June 14, 2024 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and Jim is Still Crowning by Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson, which debuted on February 8, 2024 at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, New York.
The Pulitzer Board lauded Sky Islands for “challenging the notion of the compositional voice by interweaving the profound musicianship and improvisational skills of a soloist as a creative tool.” As part of the honour, Ibarra was awarded a US$15,000 (around PHP832,432.50) prize.
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Above Pulitzer awardee Susie Ibarra plays her composition Sky Islands
This latest win further extends Ibarra’s distinguished track record across music, education and environmental activism. As the founder of Susie Ibarra Studio and Habitat Sounds, she operates at the crossroads of acoustic innovation, ecological responsibility and equity.
Her works span documenting traditional soundscapes from Indigenous communities, spotlighting the impacts of melting glaciers, and backing educational initiatives such as Joudour Sahara in Morocco.
Born and raised in Houston to Filipino parents, Ibarra’s musical journey blends Western classical training with the rich traditions of Philippine kulintang. Her career encompasses a diverse range of genres, including avant-garde jazz, opera, electronic music and theatre. Among her many honours are fellowships from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program and United States Artists.
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
