Tyshawn Sorey

Tyshawn Sorey is a Presidential Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Music within the College of Arts & Sciences. His work transcends genre boundaries, blending experimental composition, improvisation, and cultural critique. He holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from William Paterson University, M.A. in Composition from Wesleyan University, and D.M.A. in Composition from Columbia University.

Research interests include Black American music traditions, African diaspora historiography, and experimental compositional practices. His music explores maximalist structures, noise aesthetics, and vernacular groove traditions while incorporating influences from West African, Afro-Cuban, and Asian folk practices.

Recent projects include a Pulitzer Prize-winning orchestral work Adagio, collaborations with ensembles like the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Opera Philadelphia, and a multimedia production Be Holding based on Ross Gay’s poetry. Awards include the MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship (2017), United States Artists Fellowship (2018), and Pew Fellowship.

Teaching and research activities include composition mentoring, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and curricular innovation. Upcoming projects involve works for Jennifer Koh, Roomful of Teeth, and a commemorative piece for the Rothko Chapel.