BMI Announcement:

BMI Foundation, Inc. and BMI celebrated the recipients of the 72nd annual BMI Composer Awards on May 13, 2024, at Chelsea Table and Stage in New York City. During the private ceremony, BMI Foundation President and BMI Executive Director of Classical Deirdre Chadwick and renowned composer and Chair of the Composer Awards Ellen Taaffe Zwilich presented the awards to seven emerging composers for excellence in composition. The 2024 award winners included:

  • Arjan Singh Dogra – age 24, student of Christopher Cerrone

  • John William Griffith II – age 26, student of Alison Kay

  • Luke Haaksma – age 26, student of Katherine Balch

  • Ennis Suavengco Harris – age 25, student of Vince Mendoza

  • Paul Novak – Recipient of the Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award for most outstanding score – age 25, student of Augusta Read Thomas

  • Sofia Jen Ouyang – age 22, student of Amy Beth Kirsten and Andrew Norman

  • Ziyi Tao – Recipient of the Carlos Surinach Award for the youngest winner of the competition – 21, student of Andrew Norman

Read the full announcement here.

L-R: John William Griffith II; Luke Haaksma; Paul Novak (Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award); Sofia Jen Ouyang; Arjan Singh Dogra; Ziyi Tao (Carlos Surinach Award); President of the BMI Foundation Deirdre Chadwick; Chair of the Composer Awards Ellen Taaffe Zwilich; President and Chief Executive Officer of BMI Mike O’Neill; Ennis Suavengco Harris; Director of Finance and Administration of the BMI Foundation Susan Bywaters. Photo by Ezekiel Duncan for BMI