Sorey’s compositions and performances range from solo percussion and jazz ensembles to pieces for chamber music and opera settings. He describes his style as a “world aesthetic,” bridging a multitude of cultural and musical traditions found in contemporary classical music, Black American music, and African and European forms of improvised music. Sorey has performed with a range of musicians including John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Vijay Iyer, Claire Chase, and Pew Fellow King Britt, and his compositions have been performed at venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Hollywood Bowl, the 92nd Street Y, and the Park Avenue Armory. His honors include a Pulitzer Prize for Music, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a United States Artists Fellowship. He teaches music and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Sorey was a key collaborator on the 2023 Center-funded project Be Holding and a featured composer on the 2024 Center-funded project Generate Music. He earned a DMA in composition from Columbia University, an MA in composition from Wesleyan University, and a bachelor of music degree from William Paterson University.
