Raven Chacon, from the Navajo Nation, is the first Native American to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize in music.
New York-Raven Chacon has become the first Native American to win a Pulitzer Prize for music. Hs composition, "Voiceless Mass," is a large ensemble work that was commissioned by the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ, Plymouth Church UCC, and Present Music. It was composed specifically for the Nichols & Simpson organ at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but can be performed in any space of worship with high ceilings and pipe organ, Chacon noted.
"This work considers the spaces in which we gather, the history of access of these spaces, and the land upon which these buildings sit," Chacon wrote in his award entry. "Though 'mass' is referenced in the title, the piece contains no audible singing voices, instead using the openness of the large space to intone the constricted intervals of the wind and string instruments. In exploiting the architecture of the cathedral, Voiceless Mass considers the futility of giving voice to the voiceless, when ceding space is never an option for those in power."
The composition in part explores the tension between the Catholic and Indigenous cultures and how the two arenas compliment and conflict with one another, something Chacon experienced while growing up in New Mexico.
The composition features not only the organ, but also violins, flute, clarinets, cellos, percussion and electronic tones. Judges noted that the "Voiceless Mass" was "mesmerizing," with a "haunting visceral impact."
Raven Chacon is a composer, performer and installation artist from the Navajo Nation. He has exhibited or performed at many various venues, including the 18th Biennale of Sydney and The Kennedy Center. Some of the awards he's received include the United States Artists fellowship in Music, The Creative Capital award in Visual Arts, The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation artist fellowship, and the American Academy's Berlin Prize for Music Composition. For 20 years, Chacon has also mentored students on reservations, teaching them to write string quartets for the Native American Composer Apprenticeship Project (NACAP).
