Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and a familiar favorite
“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
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
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