Composer Michael Daugherty has won international acclaim for his work for over thirty years, and this week, his story-rich and vibrant music is brought to life in three concerts at MSU spanning four days.
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty will be in residence at Michigan State University October 22–27, 2025, presenting workshops and participating in three concerts showcasing his dynamic and widely performed compositions.
Known for his colorful, narrative-driven music inspired by American icons and pop culture, Daugherty’s visit marks his first time working directly with MSU musicians and composers.
“I’ve never worked with the musicians at Michigan State, and I’ve never worked with any of the composers. It will be my first time, and I look forward to that,” Daugherty said.
Daugherty, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has earned international acclaim for works that blend classical structure with contemporary themes. His compositions have won six GRAMMY Awards, including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Deus ex Machina and Tales of Hemingway. His music is frequently performed by orchestras around the world and often draws inspiration from American history, culture, and art.
Among the works featured during his MSU residency is Fifteen: Symphonic Fantasy Inspired by the Art of Andy Warhol, a five-movement piece commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The work reflects Warhol’s vibrant Pop Art style and took five years to complete.
“It has a wide variety of things that the musicians will be playing, but each one has a narrative, and that’s just how I think. That’s how I write music,” Daugherty said.
Michael Daugherty’s ambitions Fifteen: Symphonic Fantasy Inspired by the Art of Andy Warhol will be performed by the MSU Wind Symphony on Friday, October 24, 2025. It is inspired by the art of Andy Warhol, specifically the five paintings for which each of the movements are named. From top left: “Beethoven” (1987), “Liz” (1964), “Big Electric Chair” (1967), “The Last Supper” (1986), and “Campbell’s Soup Cans” (1962).
Creating captivating experiences for audiences while benefitting students
MSU Director of Bands Kevin Sedatole, who has known Daugherty for nearly 40 years, will conduct several of the performances. Sedatole emphasized the significance of the collaboration.
“Having Michael Daugherty on campus is a tremendous opportunity for our students to engage with one of the most imaginative and influential composers of our time,” Sedatole said. “His music challenges performers while inviting audiences into vivid, story-rich soundscapes.”
Daugherty’s approach to composition is rooted in concept and storytelling. He often begins with a title or theme before developing musical ideas. Figures such as Amelia Earhart, Jesse Owens, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as places like Las Vegas and Route 66 have inspired his work.
“For me personally, I have to have the concept of the piece, and in most cases, even the title of the piece,” he said. “There are structures, and it’s up to the composer to come up with something original, hopefully, or an original approach. It’s always a challenge to come up with some new idea every time.”
The residency also offers MSU students a chance to interact with a living composer, an experience Daugherty believes adds depth to their musical education.
“So much of the repertoire a young musician plays is music from composers who are no longer living, so it’s nice to have the composer there who you can ask questions like, what did you mean by this, what do you think of this, or what do you think of this interpretation?” he said. “To have a living, breathing composer, I think, makes it a much more meaningful experience.”
Concerts during the residency will include a range of Daugherty’s works
On Friday, October 24, the Symphony Band and Wind Symphony, conducted by David Thornton and Kevin Sedatole, will perform Lost Vegas, a tribute to the neon-lit glamour of early Las Vegas. The program also includes Reflections on the Mississippi, a tuba concerto featuring Chance Huiet, MSU assistant professor of tuba and euphonium. The piece honors Daugherty’s father and evokes memories of family trips along the Mississippi River.
On Sunday, October 26, the Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Octavio Más-Arocas, will present Lift Up Thine Ears, a three-movement symphony inspired by the words of Shakespeare, Dr. King, and Emily Dickinson.
On Monday, October 27, Musique 21, conducted by Michael Gabriel and Kevin Sedatole, will perform several chamber works including Viva for Violin, featuring MSU graduate student Daniella Greene on violin; Steamboat, performed by the Kivo Quartet; and Firecracker, featuring oboe soloist Nermis Mieses, MSU associate professor of oboe. The program also includes “Letter to Mrs. Bixby” from Daugherty’s Letters to Lincoln, performed by MSU graduate students Jordan Washington (tenor), Yi-Hui Chen (piano), and Alirna Korieva (violin). In addition, Musique 21 will perform works by MSU alumni and former Daugherty students Paul Dooley and Shuying Li.
Daugherty, who has served on the composition faculty at the University of Michigan since 1991, expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to hear his music interpreted by MSU ensembles.
“For me it’s always a pleasure. You know, every conductor has their own interpretation, and every place is different,” he said. “There’s a certain amount of elasticity to the experience of being a performer and being a composer. It’s always exciting to have other groups play my music, especially by a band like the excellent ones at Michigan State. I’m sure it will be a very, very rewarding experience.”
