CCS Music Composition Faculty Emeritus Earl Louis Stewart Awarded Judges’ Citation: Special Orchestral Accomplishment in Jazz in The American Prize Competition 2023

CCS Music Composition Faculty Emeritus Earl Louis Stewart received highly prestigious professional award for his renowned symphonic jazz composition

In a testament to his musical legacy, esteemed Composer and CCS Music Composition Faculty Emeritus Earl Louis Stewart has been awarded the Judges Citation: Special Orchestral Accomplishment in Jazz in the 2023-24 American Prize Competition for his “Symphony #5 Homage to Swing."

“To me, there is nothing more American than jazz.”

— Earl Louis Stewart, CCS Music Composition Faculty Emeritus

The winning composition captivated the hearts of judges with its skillful blend of contemporary contemplative jazz and traditional western classical forms, making it the first symphonic jazz in the professional music composition category to be recognized by the American Prize Competition. In May 2018, the piece received a gold medal award in the Global Music Awards.

This summer, Earl’s “Juneteenth Symphony” will be premiered at the first annual "Prelude to Juneteenth" celebration on June 5th, 2024 at Royce Hall, UC Los Angeles (UCLA). Earl invites all interested parties to attend.

Read the official Press Release. More information about Professor Stewart can be found here. Read more about this accomplishment in The Current.