Susan Ibarra at the Asia Society | Photo by Troi Santos
NEW YORK—In a huge milestone for a Filipino composer and a proud moment for Filipino-American artists, Susan Ibarra, a Filipino-American composer, percussionist, and sound artist known for her innovative work in contemporary music, won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition “Sky Islands.” The piece explores themes of biodiversity, climate change, and community practices, drawing inspiration from the rainforest ecosystems of Luzon. Philippines.
Ibarra beat two other finalists, “Jim is Still Crowing” by Jelalu-Kalvert Nelson and “The Comet” by George Lewis.
The works of the two other finalists
Jelalu-Kalvert Nelson is a composer and musician from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, known for his contemporary and experimental music. He has written music for various ensembles and explored themes of identity, history, and social issues in his compositions. His work has been performed internationally, and he is an influential figure in modern music. His entry, “Jim Is Still Crowing,” is a composition for solo trumpet and ensemble that reflects on the history and ongoing impact of Jim Crow laws in the United States. The piece is structured in ten brief sections, each exploring different aspects of voting rights and racial injustice in America.
The solo trumpet serves as a commentator and reflector, engaging in a musical dialogue with the ensemble to express themes of struggle, resilience, and historical memory. Nelson’s work highlights the continued challenges marginalized communities face in the fight for equal rights.
Meanwhile, George E. Lewis of Chicago, Illinois, is a renowned composer, trombonist, and scholar, known for his contributions to experimental and computer music. He has spent a significant portion of his career in New York, where he is a professor.
“The Comet” is an opera based on the 1920 science-fiction short story The Comet by W.E.B. Du Bois. The opera is set in 1920s New York City and follows a Black man and a white woman who appear to be the only survivors after a comet strikes Earth. The story explores themes of race, survival, and societal transformation, reflecting Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness—the idea that Black Americans navigate two identities within a racially divided society. The opera is structured to highlight these tensions, using music and staging to create a dialogue between past and present struggles.
Lewis’s composition is paired with Monteverdi’s 1643 opera L’incoronazione di Poppea, which deals with power and political intrigue in ancient Rome. The two works unfold simultaneously on a rotating stage, creating a visual and sonic spiral that invites comparisons between historical and contemporary themes.
Pulitzer judges’ choice of Sky Islands
Ibarra’s work was praised for its innovative fusion of traditional Philippine sounds with contemporary music techniques. The Pulitzer Board praised her composition for its innovative approach to sound and environmental storytelling. They highlighted how the piece challenges the notion of the compositional voice by interweaving profound musicianship and improvisational techniques.
The jurors also commended Ibarra’s ability to blend traditional Filipino sounds—such as bamboo, gong, and flute music—with contemporary experimental elements, creating a sonic landscape that reflects the biodiversity of Luzon’s high-altitude rainforests.
Her work was described as celebrating biodiversity and sonic innovation, reinforcing the connection between music and ecological awareness.
Susan Ibarra’s inspiration
Ibarra said she was inspired to create “Sky Islands” by Luzon’s unique high-altitude rainforest ecosystems. These isolated habitats, known as sky islands, are home to rare and diverse species and are highly vulnerable to climate change. Her Pulitzer-winning composition showcases her deep understanding of traditional Filipino sounds and is a compelling call to action for environmental conservation.
Through her composition, Ibarra sought to raise awareness about these fragile ecosystems and their biodiversity. She incorporated interlocking rhythms and melodies inspired by Philippine bamboo, gong, and flute music and performed them on sound sculptures called “Floating Gardens.”
She has spent years documenting indigenous Philippine music, helping preserve traditions at risk of disappearing. Her work often incorporates interlocking rhythms and melodies found in Filipino processional music. Additionally, she co-founded Song of the Bird King, an organization dedicated to preserving Indigenous music and ecological knowledge in the Philippines.
By drawing inspiration from the high-altitude rainforest ecosystems of Luzon, she transforms scientific themes into artistic expressions, making the urgency of climate change feel tangible. Her use of interlocking rhythms and sound sculptures, particularly her “Floating Gardens” gongs, creates an immersive experience that allows listeners to connect with nature in a way that facts and statistics alone cannot.
Her Pulitzer-winning composition “Sky Islands”
Ibarra has recorded over 40 albums and performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Olympics, and the Sharjah Biennial. Her latest composition, “Sky Islands,” premiered at the Asia Society in New York City. It was presented alongside the COAL + ICE exhibition, reinforcing the art and climate awareness dialogue. This integration highlights music as a powerful social and ecological consciousness vehicle. The Asia Society commissioned the piece with support from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University, NYSCA, and NYFA Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Artists Grants.
RELATED STORY: Asia Society hosts the world premiere of Susan Ibarra’s “Sky Islands”
Ibarra’s ability to weave tradition, science, and activism into her compositions makes her work culturally significant and globally relevant.
The audience’s reaction to the “Sky Islands” premiere at the Asia Society was overwhelmingly positive. The performance, which featured the Extended Talking Gong Ensemble and the Bergamot Quartet, captivated listeners with its fusion of traditional Filipino sounds and contemporary experimental techniques.
Critics praised Ibarra’s ability to translate Luzon’s sky islands’ natural beauty and fragility into a musical form, calling it “impressive and inspiring”. The piece’s interlocking rhythms and melodies, inspired by Philippine bamboo, gong, and flute music, created an immersive experience that resonated deeply with environmental themes.
Many attendees described the performance as “mesmerizing” and “a sonic journey through biodiversity”, highlighting how Ibarra’s work bridges music and ecological awareness.
Her Fellowship Programs
She has received several honors, including a 2024 DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program Fellowship and a 2024 Charles Ives Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Ibarra is currently based in Berlin as part of her fellowship. However, she frequently collaborates with artists and institutions in New York City.
One of her recent works in Berlin is “CHAN: Sonnets and Devotions in the Wilderness,” which premiered at the Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) on March 26, 2025. This piece features six Kundimans (Filipino love songs) dedicated to landscapes she has lived in or spent time near, including Germany’s medieval forests, the Warsaw-Berlin ice-marginal spillway, and the Pasig River in the Philippines.
She also collaborated with poets Don Mee Choi and Logan February during her residency, integrating their words into her compositions. Her work in Berlin continues to push boundaries in experimental music, acoustic ecology, and environmental storytelling.
Susan Ibarra’s education
Susie Ibarra studied music at several institutions, shaping her unique approach to composition and percussion. In the 1980s, she attended Sarah Lawrence College, where a performance by Sun Ra sparked her deep interest in jazz. She pursued a Music Diploma, refining her classical and contemporary music technical skills at the Mannes School of Music. She earned her B.A. in Music at Goddard College, further developing her experimental and interdisciplinary style.
Her education laid the foundation for her innovative work, blending traditional Filipino sounds with avant-garde and jazz influences.
Ibarra’s studies profoundly influenced her compositions, shaping her unique blend of traditional Filipino sounds, jazz, classical music, and experimental percussion. She started studying music at three, learning classical piano and singing in choirs throughout her early years.
Her multi-cultural influences
Her exposure to Philippine kulintang (gong music) and Javanese/Balinese gamelan expanded her rhythmic vocabulary, which later became a defining feature of her work. She also studied drumming with Sun Ra’s drummer, Earl Buster Smith, which helped her develop her jazz and improvisational techniques.
Ibarra’s compositions often reflect her multi-cultural influences, incorporating polyrhythms, environmental sounds, and indigenous music traditions. This fusion is evident in her Pulitzer-winning piece “Sky Islands,” which integrates Philippine bamboo, gong, and flute music with contemporary techniques.
The Philippines profoundly influences her work, particularly its indigenous music traditions and natural landscapes. While born in Anaheim, California, she spent significant time there studying and documenting traditional Filipino music.
