Composer and documentarian Mary Kouyoumdjian is again in the limelight, this time as a finalist for the esteemed 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her poignant multimedia masterpiece, "Paper Pianos." As UC San Diego Today reports, Kouyoumdjian, an alumna of '05, crafts a narrative that delves deep into the turbulent lives of refugees, a topic closely tied to her family's history of displacement.

"Paper Pianos" is not just a musical journey but an emotional chronicle, drawing on the disturbing yet inspiring personal accounts of four refugees who have faced the adversities of resettlement, with the work originally premiering at EMPAC on February 25, 2023, now has made noise by being named a Pulitzer finalist it brings to the forefront the silent resolve of those like Afghan pianist Milad Yousufi, who resorted to practicing on paper keyboards under the perilous watch of the Taliban, according to the Pulitzer organization's description of the piece.

Yousufi's story is but one piece of this intricate tapestry, as Kouyoumdjian deftly melds recorded interviews and first-person stories with her music, elevating the documentary aspect of "Paper Pianos" to a transformative experience. Kouyoumdjian told UC San Diego Today, "I’m immensely inspired by him, honored to know him, and love watching his creativity flourish."

Kouyoumdjian's music not only comments on displacement but serves as a medium for fellowship and understanding, intertwining the persistent theme of music as a sanctuary, seeking to provoke a broader conversation on the refugee crisis, her compositions employing the voices of resilient individuals and their environments to call forth empathy for these often-invisibilized experiences, in an effort that transcends mere narration and seeks to humanize the struggle of refugees, this work is not just a musical marvel but a human plea for awareness and action.

Backed by a legacy of exploration in social and political conflict through sonic narratives, Kouyoumdjian's work has reverberated through halls from the New York Philharmonic Biennial to Lincoln Center, echoing her stalwart belief in the arts as a catalyst for expression. At the same time, her history—a reflection of the Armenian Genocide and the Lebanese Civil War—infuses an authenticity into her compositions that demand recognition, and it's evident that through "Paper Pianos," Kouyoumdjian is not simply sharing stories but sculpting them into a rallying cry for empathy and change.