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Ibarra’s winning piece, ‘Sky Islands,’ champions Filipino heritage and biodiversity
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-American composer, percussionist, and sound artist Susie Ibarra has just been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her work on “Sky Islands,” which aims to put a spotlight on Luzon’s high-altitude rainforest habitats and the “rich and fragile ecosystems” it inspired.
Ibarra’s piece was done for Asia Society, first premiering on July 18, 2024. “Sky Islands” puts Filipino biodiversity and culture at the center of it all, with its sounds being defined by instruments like the northern style bamboo, gong (kulintang), and flute. The piece was performed on “Floating Gardens,” gong metals that are considered as sound sculptures that serve both visual and sonic purposes.
“Sky Islands” was composed and performed by an eight-piece ensemble: Ibarra and Levy Lorenzo on percussion, Claire Chase on flute, and the Bergamot Quartet, composed of violinists Ledah Finck and Sarah Thomas, violist Amy Huimei Tan, and cellist Irène Han.
Other than Asia Society, the piece was also made possible by grants from Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University, NYSCA, and NYFA Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Artists Grants.
According to Pulitzer, Ibarra’s work “challenges the notion of the compositional voice by interweaving the profound musicianship and improvisational skills of a soloist as a creative tool.”
Ibarra’s “Sky Islands” beat out “Jim is Still Crowing” by Jalalu-Kalvert Nelson and “The Comet” by George Lewis.
Ibarra was awarded $15,000. She earlier won the Creative Capital 2025 Awards for “CHAN: Sonnets and Devotions in the Wilderness,” a collection of six kundimans, or Filipino romance ballads, that Ibarra composed to illustrate the landscapes that hold a special place in her heart, among those being the Pasig River.
In 2024, three Filipinas were named finalists for the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes: photographer Hannah Reyes Morales (Feature Photography category), and visual artist Ren Galeno and investigative journalist Nicole Dungca (Illustrated Reporting and Commentary). – Rappler.com
