Artistic Director Matthew Christopher Shepard and the Board of Directors are thrilled to announce that James Eakin has been appointed as Composer-in-Residence for Te Deum’s 2020-21 Season.
Eakin is one of the busiest and most sought-after composers in America today. His music catalog is prolific and spans genres from Concert Hall to Pop/Rock. He has composed works for Maya Angelou’s 80th Birthday celebration, the President’s Christmas Gala at the White House, and the Aspen Music Festival to name a few. James’ hour-long “Flowers over the Graves of War” for Chorus, Soloists, and Orchestra premiered to a sold-out audience at Carnegie Hall and most recently, his “#twitterlieder: 15 tweets in 3 acts,” premiered by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus at Davies Symphony Hall, has taken the choral world by storm.
Te Deum’s most recent project, the virtual choir performance of “Great Flowing River,” was composed and edited by James.
The primary benefit of a Composer-in-Residence, rather than a single commissioning project, is the special connection that happens musically between composer and choir when a relationship is built. James will have the opportunity to get to know Te Deum and our singers, understanding our music-making on an intimate level. This more in-depth knowledge will allow him to compose pieces specifically designed to maximize Te Deum’s skills and performance qualities. Our audiences will have the pleasure of experiencing at least three works by James this 13th season.