nfranklin24@nul.org

Nia Imani Franklin is a composer and singer whose music has been performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and many others. The former Miss America was named the inaugural composer-in-residence for the American Library in Paris in 2024. Previous composer-in-residence tenures include Festival Napa Valley, where she was awarded the Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi Prize for excellence and innovation in classical music. In 2021, she released her “Extended” EP. The following year, she premiered her choral piece, “Polaris,” in celebration of Juneteenth becoming a national holiday in the United States. In 2019, Nia founded the Compose Her initiative, which is dedicated to empowering women in music.