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Clint Needham is a contemporary classical music composer who was born on August 17, 1981, in Waco, Texas. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a music teacher and his mother a church pianist. Needham started playing the piano at the age of five and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He was also a member of his high school band and choir. After graduating from high school, Needham attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition. He then went on to pursue a Master of Music degree in composition at the University of Michigan, where he studied with Michael Daugherty and Bright Sheng. Needham's compositions have been performed by numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the Minnesota Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Albany Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra. He has also been commissioned by various organizations, such as the American Composers Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Youth Symphony. One of Needham's most notable works is his Symphony No. 1, which was commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra and premiered in 2011. The symphony is in three movements and is inspired by the landscapes of the American Midwest. The first movement, titled "Prairie Light," is a tribute to the vast open spaces of the prairie. The second movement, "Cityscape," is a depiction of the bustling city of Minneapolis. The final movement, "Horizon," is a reflection on the endless horizon of the prairie. Another significant work by Needham is his percussion concerto, "Concerto for Drumline and Orchestra," which was commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 2014. The concerto features a drumline as the soloist and is a tribute to the energy and excitement of marching band performances. Needham's music is known for its accessibility and emotional depth. He often draws inspiration from nature and the world around him, as well as from literature and poetry. His compositions are characterized by their use of vivid orchestration and rhythmic energy. In addition to his work as a composer, Needham is also a dedicated educator. He has taught at various institutions, including the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently an associate professor of music at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. Needham has received numerous awards and honors for his work as a composer, including the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Jacob Druckman Prize from the Aspen Music Festival, and the BMI Student Composer Award. He was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music in 2015. Overall, Clint Needham is a talented and accomplished composer who has made significant contributions to the world of contemporary classical music. His works are celebrated for their accessibility, emotional depth, and rhythmic energy, and he continues to inspire and educate future generations of musicians through his work as an educator.

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