Michael Daugherty

Gee’s Bend for Electric Guitar and Orchestra

            It’s hard to know just where to start with this work and composer.  Suffice it say that Michael Daugherty and his musical style springs directly from the heart of contemporary American culture.  He now occupies an esteemed position as Professor of Composition in the music school of the University of Michigan, and has written compositions for just about anybody and everybody in the “official” world of classical music culture—major orchestras, music schools and conservatories, distinguished performers, enterprising conductors—you name it, he is clearly the current darling of progressive concert music.  He has a “Zelig”-like persona whose musical roots and subsequent musical education seems to have touched just about every base.  But his background could not be more prosaic—in

Tales of Hemmingway

            Suffice to say that Michael Daugherty and his musical style springs directly from the heart of contemporary American culture.  He now occupies an esteemed position as Professor of Composition in the music school of the University of Michigan, and has written compositions for just about anybody and everybody in the “official” world of classical music culture—major orchestras, music schools and conservatories, distinguished performers, enterprising conductors—you name it, he is clearly the current darling of progressive concert music.  He has a “Zelig”-like persona whose musical roots and subsequent musical education seems to have touched most every base.  But his background could not be more prosaic—in the best sense of the word.  He grew up, like the average American kid, su