Distinguished Professor Emerita and celebrated composer became the first woman to win the .
The award, in its 19th edition, recognizes Le贸n鈥檚 contribution to the enrichment of the musical heritage of the Ibero-American peoples through their creative work. It is considered the highest public recognition for a living composer from the Ibero-American community.
Le贸n taught at 可乐视频 for 35 years until her retirement in 2019. She was the director of music composition in the school鈥檚 Conservatory of Music and was the first faculty member in any of the City University of New York (CUNY) colleges to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center award (2022). She was also awarded the in Music for her work 鈥淪tride鈥� in 2021, a piece commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to commemorate the centennial of women鈥檚 voting rights. In 2018 she was named a USA Fellow and inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
