MacArthur Genius Awards

This year's MacArthur Fellows include scientists, artists and historians. The so-called MacArthur "geniuses" receive unrestricted grants of $800,000 for their "exceptional creativity" and "promise."

Violinist and social justice advocate Vijay Gupta, one of the 2018 winners of the MacArthur Fellowship, speaks about his work in under-resourced communities in Los Angeles and what's next.

The 28-year-old polymath from Boston discusses his new award, his precocious youth and how he perceives all human language as a form of musical communication.

The director's innovative production of Hopscotch, which unfolds across the city of Los Angeles, deploys over 125 performers, six composers and a fleet of limousines.

The New York composer is one of 23 individuals picked this year for the prestigious annual prize, which comes with $625,000.

A restless formal inventor who draws from science, spirituality and extensive personal travels, Coleman has also mentored many major jazz musicians to develop their own languages and systems.

Two of this year's roster of grant winners are pianists who exemplify creative thinking and wide-ranging intellectual and artistic pursuits. And as it happens, NPR has a long history with each of them. See and hear excerpts of their distinctive work.