Columbia University School of the Arts announces that the legendary composer Tania León is the 2025 recipient of the William Schuman Award

The William Schuman Award will be presented to Tania León on September 25, 2025 at a celebratory concert at Miller Theatre, featuring New York premieres performed by flutist Claire Chase and Bergamot String Quartet

Established in 1981 and named in honor of the first recipient, William Schuman, the award is given to recognize the lifetime achievement of an American composer whose works have been widely performed and generally acknowledged to be of lasting significance.

The direct, unrestricted grant of $75,000, one of the largest given to an American composer, is awarded by the Dean of the School of the Arts at Columbia University. Tania León will be the tenth recipient of this prestigious award. Previous winners are John Luther Adams, Pauline Oliveros, John Zorn, Steve Reich, Hugo Weisgall, Milton Babbitt, Gunther Schuller, David Diamond, and William Schuman.

The prize will be awarded to León at a concert at Miller Theatre at Columbia University on September 25. The performance will showcase a program spanning nearly four decades of the composer’s prolific output, including two New York premieres. The featured musicians were chosen by the composer for their collaborative approach and dedication to the selected works.