Daron Hagen (b. 1961, Milwaukee) established his national reputation in the early eighties with performances by the New York Philhamonic and Philadelphia Orchestra; international recognition and acclaim followed with the première of his first major opera, Shining Brow (1992). The composer of five operas, numerous chamber works, orchestral works, and over two hundred published art songs and cycles, his catalogue has grown dramatically over the past twenty years as major orchestras, ensembles and soloists have steadily commissioned, performed, and recorded new works.

Mr. Hagen made his debut as a stage director with the Buffalo Philharmonic last November. He has released two CD's 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".

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

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. Currently composer in residence for the Seasons Music Festival, 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.