Opera Philadelphia Appoints Andrew Norman as Composer In Residence

Opera Philadelphia, in collaboration with Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group in New York, is proud to announce that composer Andrew Norman has been selected as its third Composer in Residence (CIR). Norman, already an accomplished composer of chamber and orchestral music, was chosen from over 100 applicants for the position and now has the opportunity to follow a personalized development track focused on the advancement of his career as an operatic composer.

Funded by a $1.73 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the program fosters tomorrow's American operatic masterpieces through personalized creative development and intensive, hands-on composition opportunities for today's most promising opera composers. The Composer in Residence position combines its individualized plan of study with a living stipend and health benefits.

"Andrew's music really stood out both in its emotional sophistication and his virtuosic control of larger forms" said David B. Devan, Opera Philadelphia's General Director & President. "Both of these qualities are essential for composing opera. We look forward to working with Andrew as he takes this next step in his growth as an artist."

"I am very excited and honored to be the next Composer in Residence with these three innovative companies," said Norman. "I love opera, both new and old, but I have much to learn about the nuts and bolts of how it gets made. This residency, with its opportunities for experimentation and immersion, comes at the perfect time for me as I dive into my first large-scale opera project. I can't wait to get started."

Norman, 33, is increasingly active as an orchestral composer. His symphonic works, often noted for their clarity and vigor, have been commissioned and premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra, among others. In May 2013, the Philadelphia Orchestra performed his kinetic work titled "Unstuck," which refers to a moment when he overcame writers block and began composing at a furious pace. A lifelong enthusiast for all things architectural, he writes music that is often inspired by forms and textures he encounters in the visual world. His music draws on an eclectic mix of instrumental sounds and notational practices, and it has been cited in the New York Times for its "daring juxtapositions and dazzling colors" and in the L.A. Times for its "Chaplinesque" wit.

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