Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

1966

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Donald Reid Womack is a renowned American composer of classical music. He was born on August 22, 1956, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Womack grew up in a musical family, and his parents were both musicians. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a classical pianist. Womack started playing the piano at a young age and showed a keen interest in music. Womack attended the University of Hawaii, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition. He then went on to study at the University of Michigan, where he earned a Master of Music degree in composition. Womack also studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Ph.D. in composition. Womack's music is influenced by his Hawaiian heritage, and he often incorporates Hawaiian themes and motifs into his compositions. He is also influenced by the music of Asia, and his works often feature elements of Japanese and Chinese music. One of Womack's most notable works is his opera "The Caged Bird," which is based on the life of Maya Angelou. The opera premiered in 2010 and was well-received by audiences and critics alike. The opera tells the story of Angelou's life, from her childhood in the segregated South to her rise as a writer and civil rights activist. Womack has also composed several works for orchestra, including "Kumulipo Reflections," which is based on a Hawaiian creation chant. The work was commissioned by the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 2003. Womack's other orchestral works include "The Seven Joys of Mary," "The Seven Sorrows of Mary," and "The Seven Last Words of Christ." In addition to his orchestral works, Womack has also composed several chamber works, including "The Haiku Project," which is a collection of pieces for various chamber ensembles. The pieces are based on haiku poetry and feature elements of Japanese music. Womack has received numerous awards and honors for his work as a composer. He has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Music Center, and the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. He has also been awarded the Hawaii Award for Literature and the Elliot Weisgarber Award for Excellence in the Arts. Womack is currently a professor of music at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he teaches composition and music theory. He is also the director of the Pacific Rim Music Festival, which is held annually in Honolulu. In conclusion, Donald Reid Womack is a highly respected composer of classical music. His works are influenced by his Hawaiian heritage and the music of Asia, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his work. Womack's music is both innovative and accessible, and he continues to be a major force in the world of classical music.

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