Nicolás Lell Benavides announced as the 2025-26 Composer in Residence
PRESS RELEASE
San Francisco Girls Chorus Announces Nicolás Lell Benavides as 2025–26 Composer-in-Residence
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (9/22/25) — The San Francisco Girls Chorus (SFGC), internationally recognized as a leading vocal ensemble, is proud to announce award-winning composer Nicolás Lell Benavides as its 2025–26 Composer-in-Residence.
The Composer-in-Residence program offers SFGC’s young artists the invaluable opportunity to explore the process of creating new music side-by-side with today’s most compelling musical voices. Over the course of the year, the Composer-in-Residence visits rehearsals, collaborates with SFGC’s Level Directors, and works closely with singers across the Chorus to develop a new commission expressly written for 250 voices of SFGC.
This program reflects SFGC’s deep commitment to fostering living composers and expanding the choral repertoire for treble voices. By investing in contemporary creation, SFGC gives its members access to fresh perspectives on the world through music while also ensuring that today’s audiences hear voices and stories relevant to our time.
“Nicolás brings a remarkable breadth of vision and artistry that resonates deeply with the spirit of SFGC,” said Valérie Sainte-Agathe, Artistic Director of SFGC. “Our singers will not only learn from his process but will help shape a new piece that will live on in the choral canon for years to come.”
About Nicolás Lell Benavides
Praised as “resourceful and wonderfully eclectic” (Joshua Kosman, On a Pacific Aisle) and “dramatically tight and musically transporting” (San Francisco Chronicle), Nicolás Lell Benavides has emerged as one of the most dynamic composers of his generation. A 2024–25 Guggenheim Fellow, he has received commissions from leading institutions including the New York Philharmonic and The Juilliard School, the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel, Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Eighth Blackbird, West Edge Opera, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra. His work is frequently supported by national organizations such as Opera America, New Music USA, the Barlow Endowment, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Benavides’ projects span symphonic works, chamber music, and opera. His opera Dolores, inspired by civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and commissioned by West Edge Opera premiered in 2025 to rave reviews and will tour to companies including San Diego Opera, Opera Southwest, and The BroadStage. His music has been performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, as part of the California Festival, and by ensembles across the United States.
With this residency, Benavides will bring his vibrant, inclusive, and imaginative voice to the San Francisco Girls Chorus, creating a new work that highlights the power, clarity, and expressive depth of young treble voices.
About the San Francisco Girls Chorus
Founded in 1978, the San Francisco Girls Chorus is a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning organization recognized as one of the world’s premier vocal ensembles. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Valérie Sainte-Agathe, SFGC is acclaimed for its innovative programming, commissions from leading composers, and collaborations with world-class institutions including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Kronos Quartet, and Carnegie Hall. SFGC prepares young women from diverse backgrounds for success on stage and in life through rigorous musical training, artistic excellence, and a commitment to innovation.
For more information contact: Kenneth Kellogg, Marketing Coordinator at KennethK@sfgirlschorus.org