Photo by Gail Hadani

Born in Havana, Cuba, Tania León is highly regarded as a composer, conductor, educator, and advisor to arts organizations. She is a recipient of the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors, along with fellow honorees George Clooney, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, and U2. Her orchestral work Stride, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, was awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Her most recent honors are being named the Debs Creative Chair for Carnegie Hall’s 2023/24 season and as composer-in-residence for the London Philharmonic for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. Its founder and artistic director, Tania has led Composers Now since its inception in 2010.