PLAUDITS
ASCAP Plus Awards, annually.
ASCAP Composers’ Awards, 1979-present
Bogliasco Foundation Artist Residency, Genoa, Italy, February 2025
International laurels for Best Score, Best Director, and Best Film for 9/10: Love Before the Fall, 2023-2024
International laurels for Best Score, Best Director, and Best Film for Orson Rehearsed, 2021-2022
Resident Fellowship at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, 1986, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 96, 97, 98, 00, 06, 07
Academy Award, American Academy of Arts & Letters, NY, NY, 2014
Guggenheim Fellowship, New York, NY 2012
NPR Best Releases of 2011 for Complete Piano Trios of Daron Hagen, Washington, DC, 2011
20 Best Operas of the 21st Century for Amelia, Opera News, New York, NY, July 2011
Chairman’s Award, Seattle Opera for Amelia, Seattle, WA, 2010
Van Cliburn Foundation and Competition Commissioned Required Work, 2009
Mellon Foundation Co-Production Fund for American Opera, Seattle, WA, 2009
National Endowment for the Arts Knoxville Symphony Commission, 2008
Opera America Next Stage Grant, New York City, NY, 1997
Resident Fellowship at the Rockefeller Foundation, Villa Serbelloni, Bellagio, Italy, 1993, and 2004
Readers Digest Opera Fund Development Grant, 1991
Resident Fellowship at the MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1997, 1998
Composer in Residence, Denver Chamber Orchestra, 1993-94
Composer in Residence, Long Beach Symphony, Long Beach, CA, 1991-93
Kennedy Center Friedheim Competition for Orchestral Music, 2nd Prize, Washington, DC, 1990
Residency, Camargo Foundation, Cassis, France, 1989-1990
ASCAP-Nissim Prize for Orchestral Music, New York, NY, 1988
Margaret Jory Copying Assistance Grant, American Music Center, New York, NY, 1987
Barlow Endowment International Composition Prize in Chamber Music, Provo, UT, 1986
Gelin Composer Scholarship, Tanglewood, Lenox, MA, 1986
Charles E. Bearns Prize in Chamber Music, Columbia University, New York, NY, 1985
Irving Berlin Scholarship, The Juilliard School, New York, NY, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
Charles Ives Scholarship, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY, 1983
ASCAP-Samuel Barber Scholarship, Curtis Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 1983
ASCAP-Morton Gould Young Composer Prizes, 1982, 1983, 1984
BMI Young Composer Prizes, 1982, 1983, 1984
ASCAP-Raymond Hubbel Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 1979
Commissions
City of Light. Commissioned and premiered by the Buffalo Philharmonic, Kleinhans Hall, Buffalo, NY, 28 September, 2024.
I Hear America Singing. Operafilm / staged production, Pittsburgh, PA, May 2024. (Now in Post-production for September 2025 release).
Everyone, Everywhere. Commissioned and premiered by the Cecelia Chorus of NY for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, Carnegie Hall, December 16, 2023.
Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra. (D.J. Sparr, soloist) Commissioned and premiered by the Berlin Academy of American Music (Germany), Buffalo Philharmonic, Dayton Symphony, Youth Orchestra of San Antonio, Chicago Composers Orchestra, Westerville Symphony, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and Wintergreen Festival Orchestra.
Piano Trio No. 8. Commissioned by the Featherwell Foundation for premiere in 2024
Mata Hari Letters. Commissioned by Cassandra Black for premiere in 2024
Moviola. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Music Festival and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic, October 17, 2022
Three Whitman Fragments. Commissioned by the Wintergreen Festival for Heather Johnson, voice, and string quartet, premiered August 14, 2022
9/10: Love Before the Fall. Opera-film premiered and filmed by the New Mercury Collective on location in Chicago, with a simultaneous staged production directed by the composer for Chicago College of the Performing Arts April 7, 2022 (Released 10 September 2024)
Restoring Darkness. For solo voice commissioned by the Walt Whitman Birthplace to be filmed by Paul Moon in Rhinebeck, NY January 28, 2022
All We Have. Three songs for voice and piano commissioned by Suzanne Mentzer premiered at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, March 3, 2022
Bandanna Overture. Commissioned and premiered by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, September 24, 2021
Shining Brow. “Taliesin West” Version commissioned by Arizona Opera September 27, 2020
The Art of Song. Commissioned and premiered by the Brooklyn Art Song Society and Lyric Fest of Philadelphia for six singers and piano, November 4, 2019
The Passion of Jekyll and Hyde. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, July 12, 2019
Piano Trio No. 7. Commissioned by the Wintergreen Music Festival for the Wintergreen Trio, July 10, 2019
Swan Song. Commissioned for the Cassatt String Quartet with Shakuhachi, Koto, and Shamisen by Kyo-Shin-An Arts, April 14, 2019
Grandioso. Commissioned and premiered by Duo Yumeno (cello and Koto) on their 2019 Japan tour.
Orson Rehearsed. Opera-film premiered and filmed by the New Mercury Collective on location at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago, with a simultaneous staged production directed by the composer for Chicago College of the Performing Arts September 15, 2018
Piano Trio No. 6. Commissioned by the Featherwell Trio and Maverick Concerts for the Horszowski Trio, November 28, 2018
A Chaplin Symphony. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, July 20, 2018
Piano Trio No. 5. Commissioned by the Phoenix Chamber Series and premiered by the Prometheus Trio, February 12, 2018
Shining Brow. “Usonian” Version commissioned by Urban Arias Opera, October 14, 2017
Lilly Sketches. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Wind Quintet, August 7, 2017
Chaplin Suite. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, July 28, 2017
A Handful of Days. Premiered by Duo Au Courant, January 17, 2017
Misterioso. Commissioned and premiered by Duo Yumeno, April 1, 2017
Sonata for Cello and Piano. Commissioned by Wintergreen Music and premiered by the Kapps Marshall Duo, July 27, 2017
Jaik’s Songs. Commissioned by the Jaik Miller Foundation and premiered by Duo au Courant, January 25, 2017
Cantabile. Commissioned and premiered by Duo Yumeno, May 1, 2016
Nocturne for Piano and Strings. Commissioned and premiered by the Bloomingdale House of Music, February 6, 2016
Blake Songs. Commissioned by Ion Sound and the University of Pittsburgh Symphony and premiered March 20, 2016
The Bixby Letter. Commissioned and premiered by Lyric Fest, April 2, 2016
Appassionato. Commissioned and premiered by Duo Yumeno, March 15, 2015
Chaplin’s Tramp. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, July 24, 2015
Valse Blanche. Commissioned and premiered by the Sohn Loeb Duo. (violin, piano), Naxos release, spring 2015
Valse Noire. Commissioned by the Phoenix Concerts and premiered by the Wu Daurov Duo (cello, piano), March 27, 2015
Symphony No. 5. Commissioned and premiered by the Phoenix Symphony, October 9, 2015
A Woman in Morocco. Opera in two acts commissioned and premiered by Kentucky Opera May 15, 2015
Four Dickinson Songs. Commissioned and premiered by Lyric Fest, March 28, 2014
I Hear America Singing. Musical Commissioned and premiered by Skylight Music Theater, March 2014
Early, Later. Commissioned and premiered by Thomas Piercy, October 23, 2013
Shining Brow. “Fallingwater” Version commissioned and premiered by Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, June 7, 2013
After Words. Commissioned and premiered by Lyric Fest, February 28, 2013
Vera of Las Vegas. “Kleine Vera” Version commissioned and premiered by West Edge Opera, July 29, 2012
Little Nemo in Slumberland. Opera commissioned and premiered by the Sarasota Youth Opera and Sarasota Opera, April 11, 2012
The George Washington Suite. Commissioned and premiered by Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, July 13, 2012
Vegetable Verselets. Commissioned by Tracy Cowden with Funds from Virginia Tech University, April 27, 2012
Five Sky Interludes from Amelia. Commissioned and premiered by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, May 17, 2012
Songbook: Concerto for Violin with Percussion, Harp, and Strings. Commissioned and premiered by the Buffalo Philharmonic, May 13, 2011
Koto Concerto: Genji. Commissioned by Kyo-Shin-An Arts and premiered by the Lark String Quartet and the Orchestra of the Swan, February 19, 2011, and May 28, 2011
Book of Days. Commissioned and premiered by Curtis on Tour by the Curtis Institute of Music, March 19, 2011
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. Commissioned by Joshua Pierce and premiered October 16, 2010
Con gai: a greeting and a farewell. Commissioned and premiered by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, October 14, 2010
Amelia. Opera commissioned and premiered by Seattle Opera, May 8, 2010
Song of Gabriel Commissioned and premiered by the Wisconsin Philharmonic and BCHS Choir, December 7, 2010
Seven Last Words. “Maverick” Version commissioned and premiered by the Maverick Concerts, August 28, 2010
We Happy Few. Commissioned and premiered by the Agincourt Foundation, October 25, 2010
Just for the Night. Commissioned by 534 Productions for premiere by Kentucky Opera, Spring 2010
Northern Lights. Commissioned and premiered by the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio, January 31, 2010
Three Celtic Songs. Commissioned and premiered by the Phoenix Concerts, November 20, 2009
Symphony No. 4. Commissioned and premiered by the Albany Symphony Orchestra and Albany Chorale, May 9, 2009
Suite for Piano. Commissioned by the Van Cliburn Competition and premiered on May 28, 2009
Cradle Song. Chamber Opera commissioned and premiered by the Seasons Festival, October 26, 2008
Agincourt Fanfare. Commissioned and premiered by the Agincourt Project for the Agincourt Sesqui-Centennial, October 25, 2007
Piano Trio No. 4. Commissioned by the Seasons Festival and premiered by the Finisterra Trio, September 29, 2007
Masquerade: Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by the Sacramento and Vermont Symphony Orchestras, February 16, 2007
Songs of Experience. Commissioned and premiered by the Wintergreen and Phoenix Concerts, July 17, 2007
Piano Trio No. 3. Commissioned and premiered by the Finisterra Trio, Mark 2, 2007
Advance. Commissioned and premiered by the Knoxville Symphony, July 4, 2008
Orpheus and Eurydice: Triple Concerto for Piano Trio and Orchestra. Commissioned by a consortium of youth orchestras and the Amelia Piano Trio, November 11, 2007
Gesture Drawings. Commissioned and premiered by the Vermont Youth Orchestra, May 5, 2006
Flight Music. Commissioned and premiered by Present Music and the Milwaukee Choral Artists, November 20, 2005
Piano Variations. Commissioned by Ralph Berkowitz and premiered June 21, 2005
The Antient Concert. One act opera written for the Princeton Atelier and premiered April 17, 2005
Sappho Songs. Song cycle for two voices and cello commissioned and premiered by the Phoenix Concerts, April 23, 2005
Romeo and Juliet: Double Concerto for Flute, Cello and Orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, January 15, 2005
Broken Pieces. Opera commissioned by Alexis and Victoria Grecki and premiered March 8, 2005
Joyful Music. Commissioned and premiered by the Festival Choir of Madison for the opening of the Overture Center, October 26, 2004
Sonata No. 2 for Flute and Piano. Premiered on WGDR Vermont July 31, 2004
Alive in a Moment. Commissioned and premiered by the Amernet String Quartet Society and Northern Kentucky University, October 8, 2003
Susurrus. Commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra, October 18, 2003
Chamber Symphony. Commissioned and premiered by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, March 8, 2003
Letting Go. Commissioned and premiered by Clair Vangelisti, December 11, 2003
We’re All Here. Commissioned and premiered by Present Music and the BCHS Chorus, October 23, 2002
Figments. Commissioned and premiered by Paul Sperry, April 24, 2002
Seven Last Words: Original Version for Piano LH and Orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by a consortium of orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Wisconsin Philharmonic, and New Mexico Symphony, December 14, 2001
Larkin Songs. Commissioned by the University of Nevada Las Vegas and premiered February 18, 2001
Concerto for Oboe and Strings. Commissioned and premiered by the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra, November 6, 2000
Angels for Seventeen Strings. Commissioned by the Corporation of Yaddo for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra May 7, 2000
Phantoms of Myself. Commissioned and premiered by Ashley Putnam, May 10, 2000
Much Ado. Commissioned and premiered by the Curtis Symphony Orchestra for the 75th Anniversary of the Curtis Institute, May 1, 2000
Love in a Life. Commissioned and premiered by the Phoenix Concert, January 23, 2000
Serenade for Ten Instruments. Commissioned and premiered by the Oakwood Chamber Players, October 2, 1999
The Heart of the Stranger. Commissioned and premiered by the Baylor Wind Ensemble, September 20, 1999
Suddenly. Commissioned and premiered by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, June 30, 1999
Wedding Dance from Bandanna. Commissioned by the College Band Directors National Association, February 27, 1999
Bandanna Overture for Band. Commissioned by the College Band Directors National Association, February 24, 1999
Bandanna. Opera commissioned by the College Band Directors National Association, February 25, 1999
Forward! Commissioned and premiered by the Madison Symphony Orchestra, May 29, 1998
Symphony No. 3. Commissioned and premiered by the Waukesha Symphony in honor of their 150th Anniversary, April 28, 1998
Silent Night. Commissioned and premiered by the American Repertory Singers, April 20, 1997
Duo for Violin and Cello. Commissioned by ECS Publishing and premiered April 18, 1997
Songs of Madness and Sorrow. Commissioned by Paul Sperry and premiered by the Tacoma Chamber Players, January 31, 1997
Postcards from America. Commissioned by a consortium of orchestras, October 15, 1996
Vera of Las Vegas. “Full Vegas” Version commissioned and premiered by the University of Nevada Las Vegas, March 8,1996
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra. Commissioned and premiered by the American Symphony Chamber Orchestra, May 3, 1996
Concerto for Brass Quintet. Commissioned by the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Music for the Wisconsin Brass Quintet in honor of the school’s 100th anniversary, October 6, 1996
Concerto for Horn with Winds and Strings. Commissioned and premiered by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, November 1, 1996
An Overture to Vera. Commissioned and premiered by Present Music, September 7, 1995
Merrill Songs. Commissioned by William Weaver and premiered by Clarion Concerts, October 31, 1995
Taliesin Choruses from Shining Brow. Commissioned and premiered by the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, September 16, 1995
Built Up Dark. Commissioned and premiered by the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, May 11, 1995
The Waking Father. Commissioned and premiered by the Kings Singers, July 27, 1995
Joyful Music. Commissioned and premiered by the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, December 4, 1993
Shining Brow. Commissioned and premiered by the Madison Opera, March 21, 1993
Symphony No. 2. Commissioned and premiered by the Oakland Symphony, with support of the St. Louis Symphony and Milwaukee Symphony, April 2, 1993
Fire Music. Commissioned and premiered by the Long Beach Symphony, March 28, 1992
Muldoon Songs. Commissioned and premiered by Paul Sperry, December 2, 1992
Dear Youth. Commissioned and premiered by Sonus, March 10, 1991
Symphony No. 1. Commissioned and premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra, April 20, 1991
Philharmonia. Commissioned and premiered by the New York Philharmonic in celebration of its 150th anniversary, June 22, 1990
Heliotrope. Commissioned by ASCAP and the Brooklyn Philharmonic in honor of ASCAP’s 75th anniversary, October 24, 1989
Harp Trio. Commissioned by the Debussy Trio and the National Federation of Music Clubs, April 28, 1989
The Presence Absence Makes. Commissioned and premiered by Music of Our Time, April 6, 1988
Grand Line. Commissioned and premiered by the Denver Chamber Orchestra, November 9, 1987
Prayer for Peace. Premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra, October 18, 1981
Visiting ARTIST / SPEAKER / CLINICIAN
Amherst College Center for Humanistic Inquiry
Arizona State University
Aspen Music Festival
Atlantic Center for the Arts
Ball State University
Bard College Conservatory of Music
Baylor University, Artist in Residence, (fall 1998-fall 1999)
Brandeis University
Brooklyn College Conservatory
Carnegie Mellon
College Band Directors National Association Keynote Address, Midwest
Columbia University
Commencement Speaker, Curtis Institute of Music
Composer in Residence, Denver Chamber Orchestra, (1993-94)
Composer in Residence, Long Beach Symphony, Long Beach, CA, (1991-93)
Conductors Guild Keynote Speaker
Conductors’ Institute Keynote Speaker
Curtis Institute of Music
Denver Chamber Orchestra Music Festival
Hartt College Conservatory of Music
Illinois State University
Juilliard School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
Mannes College of Music
Miami University, Sigma-Chi Huffman Composer in Residence, (fall 1999-spring 2000)
Midwest Regional Band Convention
National Federation of Music Clubs Composer Keynote Address
New York University-Copland School of Music
New York University-Tisch School of the Arts
Northern Kentucky University
Ohio State University
Pacific Lutheran University
Princeton Atelier, Princeton University, Master Artist in Residence, (fall 1998, spring 2005)
Reinhardt University
Roosevelt University Center for Arts Leadership
Sorbonne
Skidmore College
Stephen F. Austin State University, TX
SUNY-Fredonia, Stony Brook, and Purchase
Sweet Briar College
Tanglewood Music Festival
Temple University
University of California-Long Beach
University of Houston
University of Maine
University of Nevada Las Vegas, Artist in Residence, (fall 2000-spring 2002)
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, Franz Lehar Composer in Residence, (spring 2006-fall 2007)
University of Texas-Austin
University of Texas-San Antonio
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Yale University College Conservatory
TEACHING
Wintergreen Festival Music Academy (Wintergreen, VA), Chair of Composition Faculty (summer 2014-present): Individual graduate-level composition lessons; Group lectures in professional skills, mien, and analysis; Coordinate with Chamber Music and Conducting programs.
Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University, Artist Faculty (fall 2017-2023)
Graduate Center of the City University of New York, chamber music coach (fall 2021, spring 2022)
Russian Opera Workshop (Academy of Vocal Arts, Philadelphia), Core Lecturer-Clinician (summer 2011-2016): One 2-hour public lecture each year examining the musical, dramaturgic, and historic contexts of a Russian opera; two 2-hour public masterclasses for 12 professional opera singers each, coaching standard opera repertoire audition skills and performance.
Seasons Fall Music Festival (Yakima, WA), Festival Artistic Director and Chair of Faculty (2005-2013): 17-concert music festival consisting of three symphonic concerts (Yakima Symphony), 8 chamber concerts (guest professional ensembles such as the Finisterra Trio, Imani Winds, etc.); 3 student recitals; 3 jazz concerts (main-stage acts, including Gary Burton, Chris Brubeck, Branford Marsalis, Marvin Stamm, etc.), created festival thematic programming, including the integration of a film festival, a groundbreaking curriculum that paired conductors and composers for two weeks of joint masterclasses in podium technique and composition, and public lectures by visiting scholars and artists (such as music critic Bernard Jacobsen, Seattle Opera Intendant Speight Jenkins, and conductor Gerard Schwarz, among others); oversaw and coordinated the activities of a twelve-member faculty; performed and coached chamber music, both contemporary and standard repertoire.
The Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, PA), Musical Studies Faculty (1996-1998): “secondary” composition lessons to non-composition majors.
City College of New York, Visiting Professor, (fall 1993 – spring 1994, spring 1997): Served as sabbatical replacement for David Del Tredici, teaching private lessons, orchestration, analysis, and counterpoint.
Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY), Associate Professor (1988-1997): Private lessons for 6-8 undergraduate composers per semester; full theory sequence, counterpoint, and ear-training sequence; orchestration; chamber music coaching; supervised composer-workshops with Da Capo Chamber Players and orchestral performances of students works each year by American Symphony Chamber Orchestra.
New York University, Lecturer on Music, (fall 1988 - spring 1990): conducted the NYU-Washington Square Chorus.
RELATED ACTIVITIES
Lifetime Member, Corporation of Yaddo 1992-
Distinguished Mentors Council, Composers Now 2015-
Juror, Opera America; Funding for New Productions Panel, 2007, 2010, 2015
Grants Panelist in Opera, National Endowment for the Arts 1994, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
Juror, Copland House Composer Residencies 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2015
Trustee, Douglas Moore Fund for American Opera 2005-2018
President, Lotte Lehmann Foundation 2003-2008
Board Member, Joy in Singing Foundation, 2003-2005
Board Member, Composers Recordings, Incorporated 2001-2005
Juror, Yaddo Composition Residencies, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014
Sole Juror, NATS Art Song Composition Contest, 2016
Juror, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Residencies, occasional 2000-2010