Jonathan Bailey Holland Announced As Composer-In-Residence Of The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Jonathan Bailey Holland has been announced as Composer-In-Residence of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for the 2018-19 season. His relationship with the Orchestra began under the tenure of conductor Paavo Järvi, and has continued with great success under the oversight of Maestro Louis Langrée.

His October 2017 commission of Stories From Home (pictured) was his fourth piece for the Orchestra, and prompted Classical Voice America to note, "his well-crafted work was...atmospheric, serene, and introspective, with long-breathed phrases and dissonant harmonies." Previous commissions include Equality (2015) for narrator and orchestra featuring the poetry of Dr. Maya Angelou, The Party Starter (2010), and Halcyon Sun (2003).

One of Jonathan's contributions in the upcoming season include composing a world premiere commission for chorus and orchestra as a response to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 as part of the CSO's One City initiative. The CSO introduced One City, One Symphony in 2012 when Mr. Langrée was the Music Director Designate. The annual, region-wide initiative brings the community together by exploring a theme through music, and in that inaugural One City, One Symphony, Beethoven's iconic Ninth Symphony inspired a robust community dialog around brotherhood. For 2018, the initiative returns with a shortened name, One City, and comes full circle by bringing back Beethoven's Ninth on November 9 and 10.

"Jonathan's music resonates with Cincinnati audiences and the musicians of the Orchestra," said Mr. Langrée. "The One City program will include his fifth CSO commission and we're delighted to engage with him as Composer-in-Residence."

In response to this exciting development for the 2018-19 season Jonathan says, "I am very excited and honored to be able to return to work with the Cincinnati Symphony and Maestro Langrée again. To repeatedly work with musicians of such a high caliber is a rare privilege. My time with the symphony will include the awesome task of writing a new work ?to accompany Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, as well as the curation of some chamber music concerts. I also look forward to the possibility of working with composition students."

About Jonathan Bailey Holland:

A native of Flint, MI, composer Jonathan Bailey Holland's works have been commissioned and performed by numerous orchestras across America. Recent highlights include the release of Synchrony, a powerful classical music statement on Black Lives Matter on Radius Ensemble's Fresh Paint CD; the premiere of Equality for narrator and orchestra by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra featuring the poetry of Maya Angelou with narration by actor Regina Taylor and rapper/actor Common; and the premiere of Forged Sanctuaries by Curtis on Tour, commissioned to commemorate the centennial of National Park Service. His piece, Clarity of Cold Air, was recently premiered at National Sawdust, and Equality was a featured piece at the annual League of American Orchestra's conference in Detroit in June 2017.

A recipient of a 2015 Fromm Foundation Commission at Harvard University, he has received honors from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, American Music Center, ASCAP, the Presser Foundation, and more. He has served as Composer-in-Residence for the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota (currently Vocal Essence); Ritz Chamber Players; Detroit and South Bend Symphony Orchestras; and the Radius Ensemble. His music has been recorded by the Cincinnati Symphony; the University of Texas Trombone Choir; trumpeter Jack Sutte; and flutist Christopher Chaffee. He has recently released a piece on Radius Ensemble's new recording, Fresh Paint, and has an upcoming release planned with pianist Sarah Bob.

Holland earned a Ph.D. in Music from Harvard University and studied composition with Ned Rorem at the Curtis Institute of Music. He is Chair of Composition, Theory and History at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Faculty Chair of the Music Composition program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. He has also served as Professor of Composition at Berklee College of Music.