Daron Hagen (b. 1961, Milwaukee) established his national reputation in the early eighties with performances by the New York Philharmonic (Philharmonia, commissioned to celebrate the orchestra's 150th anniversary in 1992), and the Philadelphia Orchestra; international recognition and acclaim followed with the première of his first major opera, Shining Brow (1992). A steady stream of commissions from major orchestras, ensembles, and soloists over the past quarter century have cemented Hagen's reputation as one of America's most respected and sought-after composers.

Current projects include an opera for the Seattle Opera; a fourth symphony (with chorus) for the Albany Symphony; and a violin concerto for Michael Ludwig, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony. Recent projects include concerti for Gary Graffman, Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, Jeffrey Khaner, Sara Sant'Ambrogio, the Amelia Piano Trio, and works for Present Music, Wisconsin Brass Quintet, the Kings Singers, and the Amernet, Carpentier and Elements String Quartets.

Mr. Hagen is active also as a conductor, pianist, and stage director. He made his debut as a stage director with the Buffalo Philharmonic (2006), and has since staged three of his operas in major venues. He has released two discs as a collaborative pianist with baritone Paul Kreider on the Arsis label. The recording of his opera Bandanna under his baton (Albany Troy 849/50) was chosen by Fanfare Magazine as one of the ten notable releases of 2006 and chosen as an "ArkivMusic Recommendation". Naxos will release the complete recording of his opera Shining Brow and his four piano trios (the Finesterra Trio) in 2008.

A Lifetime Member of the Corporation of Yaddo and past president of the Lotte Lehmann Foundation, Mr. Hagen is a graduate of the Juilliard School and of the Curtis Institute of Music. He has received the Kennedy Center Friedheim, the Bearns, Barlow, and ASCAP-Nissim Prizes, two Rockefeller Bellagio Residencies, the Camargo Residency, multiple residencies at VCCA and MacDowell, as well as scholarships and development grants from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, and Opera America. His music is published by Carl Fischer, EC Schirmer, and Burning Sled. Recordings are available on Albany, Arsis, Sierra, CRI, and other labels.

Mr. Hagen maintains a vigorous private teaching schedule and gives numerous master classes and residencies at colleges and music festivals. Hagen will serve as composer-in-residence during the 2009 season for the Seasons, Wintergreen, and Methow music festivals, among others. Hagen is a frequent grants panelist and has served twice as Composer in Residence for the Princeton University Atelier; Composer in Residence at the Chicago Conservatory of Music of the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, as Franz Lehar Composer in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh; as Artist in Residence at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Sigma-Chi-William P. Huffman Composer in Residence at Miami University; Artist in Residence at Baylor University; on the musical studies faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music; nine years on the composition faculty of Bard College; as a Visiting Professor at the City College of New York; and as a Lecturer in Music at New York University.

A New Yorker since 1984, Mr. Hagen lives with his wife, the composer Gilda Lyons, and his son Atticus.

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