Danielpour Named Pacific Composer

SANTA ANA — The Pacific Symphony has named Richard Danielpour, 41, the orchestra’s new composer-in-residence. He will begin a three-year term in October, succeeding Frank Ticheli, who has been in the post since 1991. “American Dream,” which will premiere April 15, marks Ticheli’s fifth piece for the orchestra.

Danielpour will compose two major works for the Pacific that will be recorded by Sony Classical, with which Danielpour has had an exclusive contract since 1996. He will also give concert previews and lectures.

Danielpour has served as composer-in-residence at the Schleswig-Holstein Festival (1989) in Germany, Seattle Symphony (1991-92) and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival (1994). Among more than 30 organizations that have commissioned his music are the New York Philharmonic (“Toward the Splendid City”), San Francisco Symphony (Symphony No. 2, “Song of Remembrance” and Cello Concerto) and the Baltimore Symphony (“The Awakened Heart”).

He has also written music for Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Jessye Norman and Dawn Upshaw, among other artists who have recorded his music.

Danielpour, a New York City native, studied at the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School with Vincent Persichetti and Peter Mennin. He also trained as a pianist with Lorin Hollander, Veronica Jochum and Gabriel Chodos. He teaches composition at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Manhattan School of Music.

His awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Rockefeller Foundation Grant, the Charles Ives Fellowship and residencies at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire and Yaddo in upstate New York.