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“Composer Nkeiru Okoye doesn’t fit neatly into any kind of classical category. Her compositions showcase her genius by incorporating different types of musical styles that help create a sound that’s uniquely hers.”

Andrea Blain and Scott Blankenship, Your Classical Music, Minnesota Public Radio

Nkeiru Note logo black.png

Meet the composer

Composer, Nkeiru Okoye won The American Prize for her song cycle, We Met at the Symphony. She is a Guggenheim Fellow and Carnegie Hall uses music from her piano suite, African Sketches for its CG logo campaign. Dr. Okoye has been hailed as “gripping” and “evocative” by the New York Times. Her music has been commissioned, performed and presented by Detroit Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, the Juilliard School, Louisville Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Opera North UK, Houston Grand Opera, the American Opera Project, Moscow Symphony, Tanglewood Music Festival, Virginia Symphony, Tulsa Opera, Royal Opera House, UK, and many others. Born out of her year long residency with the Grammy Award winning Louisville Orchestra, Okoye’s recital series "Cocktails, Cookies and the Composer™," brings African American music, and short English language opera to communities. She is a mentor composer for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Art Song Initiative and the American Opera Project, Composers and the Voice program. Dr. Okoye’s music and libretti published exclusively through Theodore Presser.  For more bio and more information click here.

“Composer Nkeiru Okoye doesn’t fit neatly into any kind of classical category. Her compositions showcase her genius by incorporating different types of musical styles that help create a sound that’s uniquely hers.”

Andrea Blain and Scott Blankenship, Your Classical Music, Minnesota Public Radio

Nkeiru Note logo black.png

Meet the composer

Composer, Nkeiru Okoye won The American Prize for her song cycle, We Met at the Symphony. She is a Guggenheim Fellow and Carnegie Hall uses music from her piano suite, African Sketches for its CG logo campaign. Dr. Okoye has been hailed as “gripping” and “evocative” by the New York Times. Her music has been commissioned, performed and presented by Detroit Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, the Juilliard School, Louisville Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Opera North UK, Houston Grand Opera, the American Opera Project, Moscow Symphony, Tanglewood Music Festival, Virginia Symphony, Tulsa Opera, Royal Opera House, UK, and many others. Born out of her year long residency with the Grammy Award winning Louisville Orchestra, Okoye’s recital series "Cocktails, Cookies and the Composer™," brings African American music, and short English language opera to communities. She is a mentor composer for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Art Song Initiative and the American Opera Project, Composers and the Voice program. Dr. Okoye’s music and libretti published exclusively through Theodore Presser.  For more bio and more information click here.

Notions and Notables

Video Picks

Some of my favorite videos, old and new are here.  I write works for orchestra, opera, solo players, choir.  Many pieces in my catalog are about African Americans in history.  I also write romances and comedies. All these and more are are on my youtube channel and SoundCloud page

2024/2025 Season Highlights

6/21/24

Voices Shouting Out

Cumberland Orchestra, Sewanee Music Festival

Ismael Sandoval, Conductor

7/28/24

Voices Shouting Out

Youth Orchestras of Los Angeles, Citizens of the World program

Gustavo Dudamel, Conductor

9/26/24

Voices Shouting Out - for winds

Southeastern Wind Symphony Concert

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10/4/24

I am Moses, the Liberator from HARRIET TUBMAN

Royal Opera House, London - "Live at Lunch"

April Koyejo Audiger, soprano and Kamilla Arku, piano

10/26/24

Voices Shouting Out

Westmorland Symphony

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11/4/24

Voices Shouting Out

Colorado Springs Philharmonic

Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor

11/06/24

Voices Shouting Out

Colorado Springs Philharmonic

Mei-Ann Chen, Conductor

1/18/25

Voices Shouting Out

Fresno Philharmonic

Tito Muñoz, Conductor

1/19/25

Voices Shouting Out

Fresno Philharmonic

Tito Muñoz, Conductor

3/9/25

Voices Shouting Out

Minnesota Philharmonic

Brian Dowdy, Conductor

3/15/25

Invitation to a Die-In

Washington National Chorus with National Symphony, "Stand the Storm"

Eugene Rogers, Conductor

3/22/25

And the People Celebrated - World Premiere

BBC Concert Orchestra

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3/29/25

Songs of Harriet Tubman

South Bend Symphony

Cynthia Katserelis, Conductor

4/26/25

Voices Shouting Out - for winds

Triangle Wind Ensemble

Evan Feldman, Conductor

4/27/25

Trombone Quartet - World Premiere

The Julliard School

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4/27/25

String Quartet - World Premiere

Musiqa

Mercury Ensemble

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