About Her

Mary Watkins is a groundbreaking African American composer and pianist whose music fuses classical, jazz, gospel, rock, and spirituals into a bold and expressive voice. Born in Denver, Colorado, she began classical piano training at age four and later earned her degree from Howard University, where she was shaped by both European and African American musical traditions.

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Her compositions span orchestral, chamber, vocal, and jazz forms. Notable works include Five Movements in Color, a symphonic exploration of Black experience; The Initiate, a chamber opera on Black spirituality; and Dark River: The Fannie Lou Hamer Story, honoring the civil rights leader.

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Watkins is known for integrating improvisation, blues, and jazz harmonies into classical frameworks. Works like Piece for Piano and Orchestra and Three Pieces for Violin and Piano exemplify her fluid, emotive style—lyrical yet grounded in cultural memory.

Beyond composing, Watkins has scored documentaries, released jazz albums, and collaborated on dance and multimedia projects. Her music often explores social justice, identity, and healing.

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As one of the few openly lesbian Black composers, Watkins has expanded both the musical and cultural landscape of American concert music. Her work challenges boundaries while creating space for underrepresented stories.