John Williams, Renowned Composer, Admitted into Prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters – Sky Bulletin
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In a significant acknowledgment of his contributions to music and film, John Williams has been inducted into the distinguished American Academy of Arts and Letters. Williams, celebrated for scoring iconic movies and achieving multiple Oscar wins, joins the ranks of the academy’s esteemed members. The membership for 19 new inductees was confirmed on Thursday, with the academy welcoming musicians, writers, artists, and architects who have been setting benchmarks in their respective fields since 1898.
Film composer Terence Blanchard, a recipient of numerous Grammy awards known for his work on Spike Lee’s movies; Alice McDermott, a highly regarded novelist; and the versatile multimedia artist Matthew Barney are among the other talents elected this year. “I am continually astounded and thrilled by the remarkable new members joining the Academy; it is particularly gratifying to see such a wide representation of the different arts and letters,” mentioned Kwame Anthony Appiah, the academy’s president.
Williams, at the age of 92, is not just renowned for his work on films like “Star Wars,” “Jaws,” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but also for his contributions to classical music. His prolific career includes over a decade as the conductor of the Boston Pops and the composition of symphonies, chamber music, and concertos for various instruments, notably writing a cello concerto for the acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The academy, whose existing members cast votes to induct new ones, boasts a core of 300 members alongside honorary divisions for American and international artists, among them Bob Dylan and Meryl Streep. This year’s honorary list includes Rosanne Cash, singer-songwriter, Nobel laureate and Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk, German conceptual artist Rosemarie Trockel, and the Irish architect John Tuomey.
Rosanne Cash, in an email to The Associated Press, expressed her utter surprise and joy at being part of such a prestigious community, while Alice McDermott, recognized for novels like “Charming Billy,” experienced a mix of astonishment and motivation on being elected to the academy while she was writing at home.
Other notable inductees include Charles Baxter, fiction writer and essayist; Margo Jefferson, author and critic; jazz instrumentalists and educators Roscoe Mitchell and Anthony Braxton; Grammy-winning composer Libby Larsen; and Steven Mackey, an innovative composer and instrumentalist. The architecture department welcomed three new members: James Carpenter, Mack Scogin, and Sharon Egretta Sutton, an architect and educator recognized for her pioneering role as the first Black woman in an accredited architectural degree program at the University of Michigan in 1984.
Visual artists inducted this year include June Leaf, Simone Leigh, Laura Owens, Charles Ray, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Henry Taylor, each known for their unique contributions to painting, sculpture, and multimedia art. Academy memberships last a lifetime with new openings occurring upon a member’s passing. This year’s ceremony to commemorate the inductees will take place in May at the academy’s complex in Upper Manhattan, featuring a keynote by Danielle Allen, a political scientist and author of the acclaimed “Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality.”
The American Academy of Arts and Letters’ addition of 19 new members, including John Williams, underscores the significant achievements and impact of these artists across a broad cultural spectrum. As this institution continues to honor excellence, the varied talents and contributions of this year’s inductees will further enrich the academy’s storied legacy. The upcoming ceremony in May presents an opportunity to celebrate these achievements and anticipate the continued cultural enrichment these artists will contribute to society.
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