The Composer of Our Lifetime Opening score. As the keys of life started on their first note, we met Quincy Delight Jones Jr., the boy from the southside of Chicago who, at 11 years old, stroked the chord of a piano and became the 20th century’s greatest conductor of music. Quincy Jones is quite literally the Sound of Music. He is the baseline of our experiences, and like a chord on a harp, he strummed the beauty of Black artistry with his fingers. From the soulful foundational notes of the jazz era, where legends like Duke Ellington first painted the soundscape of our culture, to the world-changing and record-breaking anthems of Michael Jackson, you orchestrated a symphony that captured the essence of our existence. The name Quincy Jones is a genre of music by itself. His work celebrated our identity, creating a sound that echoed the fullness of what it meant to be limitless. Through every arrangement, television series, and movie, you created spaces where our stories could be told, where our struggles and triumphs could harmonize into a melody of excellence and hope. Grand Closing — Even through this moment of silence, your legacy reverberates through generations. As we remember you, Quincy, let us hold tight to the belief that music is eternal. You are, and will always be, the soundtrack of our lives. May the crescendo of our praises reach the gates of Heaven, where a full-on band welcomes you home. Take your rightful place as Maestro through the song and dance of the angels that await your arrival. Ascend. Ase. 📸: Getty Images