Friday Music Series: Dave Ragland

Artist Biography

Dave Ragland is a four-time EMMY nominated composer, vocalist, and conductor. Hailed as “über-talented” by The Nashville Scene, Ragland is a composer for Washington National Opera's American Opera Initiative. The Atlanta Opera premiered Ragland's opera STEELE ROOTS as First Place Winner of The 96-Hour Opera Composition Competition. He has received the Adams-Owens Composition Award by the African-American Art Song Alliance, the American Prize in Composition, and two Telly Awards. Dave Ragland was the 2020 GRADY-RAYAM Negro Spirituals Foundation Composer-in Residence.

Ragland collaborated with Damon Davis and Ted Hearne, on the podcast opera LIGEIA MARE. Ragland collaborated with librettist Mary McCallum to create ONE VOTE WON (Nashville Opera), CHARLIE AND THE WOLF (Cedar Rapids Opera), and BEATRICE (Portland Opera). Ragland's compositions are featured in Karen Slack's "African Queens" -featuring the Blacknificent 7 composer collective.

Dave debuted his opera “STEAL AWAY” as Artist-in-Residence for OZ Arts. Additional composition performance credits include Ravinia, Tanglewood, Aspen Music Festival, LA Opera, Chautauqua, LyricFest, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Ballet, Resonance Ensemble (Portland, OR).

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