2026 Program Guide | Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music

CABRILLO MUSIC.ORG 21 FEATURED COMPOSERS Aunt . In 2023, she scored the feature film Asian Persuasion , which premiered at the SOHO International Film Festival. She is currently part of the NBCUniversal Composers Initiative (2024–26). In 2024, Tanzil signed an exclusive agreement with Deutsche Grammophon. In addition to her debut album The First of Everything (2025), she has also released several EPs and singles with the label, including Till Next Christmas (2024), Luna (2024), and Be My Home (2024). Tanzil was awarded full scholarships to both Berklee College of Music and The Juilliard School, where she was mentored by Oscar- winning composer John Corigliano. Her professional development has also been shaped by mentorship from John Debney and Pinar Toprak. JACKSON A. WATERS SPONSORED BY MICHÈLE & LAURENCE CORASH Jackson A. Waters is a music composer residing in New York City. As a recipient of the Steinhardt Scholarship at New York University, Jackson studied under Julia Wolfe, Justin Dello Joio, and Shelley Washington. His symphony depicting the Tulsa Race Massacre, Defending Greenwood , has been recognized by multiple institutions, winning him the Emerging Black Composer Project Cabrillo Prize, American Composers Orchestra Earshot Reading with the Nashville Symphony, NYU Steinhardt Composers Residency, and more. His other works earned him opportunities including Salastina’s Composer Collective and was named the Grand Prize winner for the New York Youth Symphony’s Jon Deak First Music Competition, commissioning him to write the piano quartet, Migrate , which includes a premiere at Carnegie Hall, Interlochen Center for the Arts, andwith the New York dance studio Emerge125. His new orchestra piece, my rage is quiet , earned him the ARTZenter Institute composer completion grant. Waters’ work extends to the fine arts, collaborating with painter Ari Kim on Mae-Deup, a multi-sensory exhibit exploring In-Yeon, writing original music for each painting accessible via Bluetooth beacons that allowed audiences to experience the music in direct relation to the artwork. Additionally, Waters founded Live Room Music, a recorded and filmed performance series that provides an inclusive space for the audience to sit within the music, showcasing artists from different genres collaborating with classical ensembles in intimate venues. Through Live Room, Waters has arranged and recordedmusic with jazz virtuosi June Cavlan and Devon Gates along with R&B artists such as Autumn Jones and Isea. PEDRO EMANUEL PEREIRA EUNIKE TANZIL SEAN SHEPHERD JACKSON A. WATERS