Carlos Simon, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural composer chair, has demonstrated a remarkable level of productivity since beginning his three-year tenure in 2024. Originally contracted to compose six new works for the orchestra, Simon has already premiered five, with a sixth set to be performed this week. His latest piece, the Double Concerto Suite for violin and cello, will be showcased at Symphony Hall from October 15 to 17, alongside works by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The concerto stars soloists Hilary Hahn and Seth Parker Woods.

Simon sees his role with the BSO as uniquely inspiring. “The relationship has been very fruitful,” he said, describing the orchestra itself as a muse that spurs him to write beyond his contractual obligations. His music also draws from Boston’s cultural environment, evident in previous commissions like the Gardner Suite, inspired by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

At 40, Simon has already earned a reputation for compositions that address issues of racial history and social justice. Notable among these are “Requiem for the Enslaved” (2022), which engaged with Georgetown University’s historical involvement in slavery; “brea(d)th” (2023), a response to the murder of George Floyd commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra; and “Elegy: A Cry from the Grave” (2015), dedicated to victims of police violence including Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. His “Requiem for the Enslaved,” which features text by rapper Marco Pavé, received critical acclaim for its evocative blend of instrumental and vocal elements and earned a Grammy nomination.

Simon’s compositions integrate a wide array of musical influences ranging from hip-hop, jazz, blues, gospel, and spirituals to the classical works of early Black American composers such as Florence Price and William Grant Still. His eclectic background includes experience as a keyboardist and musical director for Broadway performer Jennifer Holiday and touring with soul singer Angie Stone. This diverse foundation complements his current work with the BSO, including his role curating a March 2025 concert tribute to jazz legend John Coltrane. A generational legacy of church musicianship also informs his style, tracing back to his upbringing as a child of preachers in Atlanta.

The Double Concerto Suite marks a departure for Simon as a purely instrumental composition with a more traditional title. The idea originated during the COVID-19 pandemic when soloists Hahn and Woods, who had connected virtually, sought a new work to perform together. After commissioning the piece, the BSO joined forces with the National Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and l’Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège to support its creation.

Simon's suite consists of five movements and employs forms inspired by Baroque dance suites, including the gavotte, gigue, and passacaglia, layered with blues influences. He describes the work as "absolute music," composed without a narrative or programmatic agenda, focusing instead on the synthesis of genre elements with his personal compositional voice.

Both Hahn and Woods acknowledge Simon’s distinctive musical identity. Hahn emphasized the consistency of his artistic voice across his body of work, while Woods highlighted the fusion of European classical techniques with soulful Black American aesthetics, saying it makes Simon’s music unmistakably his own.

Boston Symphony Orchestra music director Andris Nelsons praised Simon’s artistry, noting the excitement surrounding each new work he brings to the orchestra and lauding his ability to “beautifully reflect the spirit of our time while drawing on a rich variety of traditions,” which contributes to the compelling nature of his music both for performers and audiences alike.