Carlos Simon, GRAMMY-Nominated Composer, Curator and Activist
From CI to Eye with Monica Holt by Capacity Interactive
March 26, 2026 · 38 min
About this episode
Carlos Simon discusses his journey as a composer and the collaborative nature of his work.
Music has the power to move a room. For composer Carlos Simon, that effect was first felt in church, where music was both a creative act and a shared experience. Raised in a family steeped in ministry and musical tradition, Carlos grew up surrounded by gospel, jazz, and the spontaneity of worship. From playing organ by ear during Sunday services to his later work with orchestras, film, and opera, he has built a compositional voice that blurs boundaries: bridging sacred and secular, improvisation and form, tradition and innovation. In this episode, Carlos traces his path to becoming one of today's most sought-after composers and the first-ever Composer Chair for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Along the way, he offers insight into the deeply collaborative nature of his work and frames musical composition as an act of service. ----- LINKS: Carlos Simon: https://www.carlossimonmusic.com/ brea(d)th: https://www.carlossimonmusic.com/album/brea-d-th Monuments: A Suite for DC: https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/festivals-series/250-years-of-us/sounds-of-us/monuments/ The Blacknificent 7: https://www.instagram.com/blacknificentseven/
People in this episode
Host: Monica Holt
Guest: Carlos Simon
Topics covered
- music composition
- collaboration
- gospel music
- jazz
- sacred and secular
- innovation
Keywords
- Carlos Simon
- music
- composition
- Boston Symphony Orchestra
- gospel
- jazz
- collaboration
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Blacknificent 7
Books & works: brea(d)th, Monuments: A Suite for DC
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