Richard Danielpour

Richard Danielpour has become one of the most sought-after composers of his generation – a composer whose distinctive American voice is part of a rich neo-Romantic heritage with influences from pivotal composers like Britten, Copland, Bernstein, and Barber. Danielpour has commented that "music [must] have an immediate visceral impact and elicit a visceral response." This visceral element can indeed be heard throughout Danielpour's oeuvre: expansive, sweeping, romantic gestures; energetic rhythmic accentuations; contrasting stylistic characters; arresting, introspective, melodic beauty; rich, enticing orchestrations; and brilliantly juxtaposed, yet cohesive harmonic angles.

Among Danielpour's awards are a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, a Charles Ives Fellowship and Award both from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, five MacDowell Colony Fellowships, a Jerome Foundation Award, and a Rockefeller Foundation Grant. As an educator, Danielpour serves on the faculties of both the Curtis Institute of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, while also participating in master classes and residencies around the country.

Danielpour studied at the New England Conservatory and at The Juilliard School. His teachers include Vincent Persichetti, Peter Mennin, and John Heiss (composition); Benjamin Zander (conducting); and Lorin Hollander, Veronica Jochum, and Gabriel Chodos (piano).