Role

:

Composer Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

January 24, 1913 in New York City, NY

Death

:

July 24, 2008

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Norman Dello Joio was an American composer of classical music who was born on January 24, 1913, in New York City. He was the son of Italian immigrants and grew up in a musical family. His father, Joseph Dello Joio, was a violinist and conductor, and his mother, Anna Dello Joio, was a pianist and composer. Norman Dello Joio began his musical education at an early age, studying piano with his mother and later with Rosario Scalero at the Juilliard School. Dello Joio's early compositions were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith, but he later developed his own unique style that blended elements of neoclassicism, romanticism, and modernism. He was particularly interested in the use of melody and harmony to create emotional and expressive music. In 1943, Dello Joio won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his composition "Meditations on Ecclesiastes," a choral work that set passages from the Old Testament book to music. This was a significant achievement for Dello Joio, as he was only 30 years old at the time and had not yet established himself as a major composer. Throughout his career, Dello Joio composed music for a wide range of genres, including orchestral works, chamber music, choral music, and operas. Some of his most notable works include "Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn" (1946), "The Triumph of Saint Joan" (1950), "Variations, Chaconne and Finale" (1951), "Air Power" (1956), and "The Tower Music" (1969). Dello Joio was also a prolific composer of music for film and television. He wrote scores for several Hollywood films, including "The Miracle" (1959), "The Best Man" (1964), and "The Fox" (1967). He also composed music for television shows such as "The Defenders" and "The Nurses." In addition to his work as a composer, Dello Joio was also a respected teacher and mentor. He taught at several universities, including Columbia University, Boston University, and the Manhattan School of Music. Many of his students went on to become successful composers in their own right, including John Corigliano, David Del Tredici, and John Harbison. Dello Joio received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the National Medal of Arts in 1992. He died on July 24, 2008, at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful and expressive music that continues to be performed and enjoyed by audiences around the world.

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