Taking home the $2,500 Spotlight Prize was composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh for creating ANIM composition residency. In conjunction with the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, Nourbakhsh mentored seven young female instrumentalists in Kabul to compose music for members of the Zohra Orchestra.
These pieces premiered on New Music USA’s youtube page and is available to watch:
This program was made possible with the partnership of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) and support of Turn the Spotlight Fellowship, New Music USA, New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers Program, and members of the Zohra Orchestra. Site Coordinators: Dr. Benjamin Wu, and Qudrat Wasefi Video and Audio Recordings Engineers: Qudrat Wasefi and Najib Angar Video Editor: Qudrat Wasefi Audio Mix and Master: Niloufar Nourbakhsh and Siavash Kaveh Creative Director: Niloufar Nourbakhsh
Since August 2021, all members of the Zohra Orchestra have been evacuated alongside other students, faculty, and staff of ANIM.
Nilou Nour | Composer Pianist 