Role

:

Composer Conductor Performer

Birth

:

April 28, 1954 in Cedar Rapids, IA

Genre

:

Band

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Orchestral

 

Michael Daugherty is an American composer who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born on April 28, 1954, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Daugherty grew up in a musical family. His father was a jazz and country musician, and his mother was a singer. Daugherty began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. Daugherty attended the University of North Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and a Master of Music degree in Composition and Jazz Studies. He then went on to earn a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition from the University of Michigan. Daugherty's early works were heavily influenced by jazz and rock music. His first major composition, "Tombeau de Liberace," was written in 1986 and is a tribute to the flamboyant pianist Liberace. The piece features a solo piano accompanied by a rock band and synthesizers. In the 1990s, Daugherty began to incorporate elements of popular culture into his compositions. His work "Dead Elvis" (1993) is a concerto for bassoon and orchestra that pays homage to the King of Rock and Roll. The piece features the bassoonist dressed as Elvis and playing a pink bassoon. Daugherty's most famous work is "Metropolis Symphony" (1988-1993), a five-movement symphony inspired by the Superman comic book series. The piece features a large orchestra and includes references to Superman's arch-nemesis Lex Luthor and his love interest Lois Lane. The symphony has been performed by orchestras around the world and has become a staple of the modern classical repertoire. In addition to his orchestral works, Daugherty has also composed numerous chamber music pieces, including "Lounge Lizards" (1994), a trio for violin, cello, and piano that pays tribute to the lounge music of the 1950s and 60s. Daugherty has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for his piece "Deus ex Machina" (2007). He has also been awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, and the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award. Daugherty is currently a professor of composition at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He continues to compose new works and is considered one of the most important American composers of his generation.

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