Winner of The American Prize in vocal chamber music for, We Met at the Symphony, composer Nkeiru Okoye creates contemporary classical music for a new generation. Her work in addressing issues of race and social justice has been called “gripping” and “evocative,” (The New York Times), and “unflinching” (Boston Globe). Okoye's ability to interweave musical styles has been described as "joyfully [dancing] from gospel music and spirituals to operatic solos, from cinematic orchestral interludes to minimalist riffs, and from electrifying ostinatos to lilting spoken word.” (I Care if You Listen).  Okoye is a Guggenheim Fellow and a librettist.  Her works hav been commissioned, performed and presented by Detroit Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, the Juilliard School, Louisville Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Opera North UK, Houston Grand Opera, the American Opera Project, Moscow Symphony, Tanglewood Music Festival, Virginia Symphony, Tulsa Opera, Royal Opera House, UK, and many others. Born out of her year long residency with the Grammy Award winning Louisville Orchestra, Okoye’s recital series "Cocktails, Cookies and the Composer™," introduces traditional and new concert music to communities. Dr. Okoye’s music is published exclusively through Theodore Presser.