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April 27, 2026 (Santa Barbara, CA) —The Music Academy of the West continues its commitment to supporting its alumni as they advance their careers and proudly announces mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce as the recipient of the 2026 Alumni Performance Award, sponsored by Kandy Budgor and the Luria/Budgor Family Foundation. As part of the award, the Music Academy will present Pierce’s professional debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on April 15, 2027, featuring the world premiere of a Music Academy commission by Carlos Simon.
A three-time Music Academy fellow (’19, ’20, ’21), Pierce is rapidly establishing herself as a versatile and dynamic artist in both traditional and contemporary opera repertoire. Her 2025-26 season began with her return to The Metropolitan Opera for the world premiere of Mason Bates’ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Rosa Saks) conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and directed by Bartlett Sher. Other engagements include debuts at LA Opera for Akhnaten (Nefertiti), Semperoper Dresden and The Santa Fe Opera for Madama Butterfly (Suzuki), and Madison Opera for Così fan tutte (Dorabella). Future seasons include returns to Houston Grand Opera and The Santa Fe Opera in leading roles.
“The Music Academy is proud to champion our alumni by creating performance opportunities that are vital to their artistic growth and career development,” said Shauna Quill, President & CEO of the Music Academy of the West. “Sun-Ly’s artistry has quickly been recognized by the country’s great opera houses, and we are proud to support the next chapter of her growth through this award and recital. We are grateful to the Luria/Budor Family Foundation for making this opportunity possible.”
Pierce joins Music Academy vocal piano alum Bin Yu Sanford (’19, ’21), recently appointed to the collaborative piano faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, for a recital program themed What Remains: The Art of Surrender. The program is anchored by the world premiere of a song cycle by Carlos Simon, commissioned by the Music Academy through the generous support of Mashey Bernstein. Simon is a GRAMMY®-nominated composer and the 2026–27 Composer-in-Residence at the Concertgebouw, known for music that blends gospel, jazz, and classical influences with themes of history, faith, and identity. A native of Atlanta, Simon has emerged as one of today’s most compelling American voices in contemporary music.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Alumni Performance Award from the Music Academy of the West. My time at the Academy was profoundly formative in my development as a young musician, and to be recognized by an institution that played such a pivotal role in shaping my artistic path is truly meaningful.” —Sun-Ly Pierce
Pierce credits her three summers at the Music Academy of the West, along with winning the Academy’s 2019 Marilyn Horne Song Competition, as formative milestones that fueled her creativity and helped shape her artistic path.
“Sun-Ly Pierce is a shining example of what is possible when hard work and determination are met with confidence and humility,” shared John Churchwell, co-director of the Music Academy’s Lehrer Vocal Institute. “She remains true to herself while always treating her colleagues with kindness and respect.”
Lehrer Vocal Institute co-director Sasha Cooke added, “Sun-Ly embodies the very best of the Music Academy. She is as generous offstage as she is onstage, and her dedication to making art accessible to all truly reflects our values. We can’t wait to see what she does next!”
Pierce has received numerous awards and accolades, including third prize of the renowned 2024 Operalia competition, first-place of the Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers, and top prizes in the Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition and Butler Opera International Voice Competition. She was a semi-finalist in the Kurt Weill Foundation’s Lotte Lenya Competition and an Encouragement Winner in the New England Region of The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. A native of Clinton, New York, she holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Bard College Conservatory of Music.
About the Music Academy of the West
Located in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy of the West provides classically trained musicians and diverse audiences with transformative educational and performance experiences. As part of its annual Summer Music Festival & School, the Academy presents the Fellowship Institute, which trains up to 150 fellows ages 18–34, alongside the High School Intensive, a two-week program for 80 gifted musicians ages 14–18. The Music Festival showcases more than 100 performances and events, including masterclasses and a fully staged opera. The 2026 Summer Music Festival & School will run June 17–August 8. Year-round Music Academy programs include Sing!, a free, after-school children’s choral program and the Mariposa Concert Series, featuring Academy-affiliated artists and alums. In 2028, the Academy will open its Music Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara, expanding access to music education, rehearsal, and performance opportunities for the community. Learn more at musicacademy.org.
