Meet the Composer: Melissa Dunphy

Biography

Born to refugee parents and raised in Australia, Melissa Dunphy immigrated to the United States in 2003 and has since become an award-winning and acclaimed composer specializing in vocal, political, and theatrical music. She first came to national attention in 2009 when her large-scale choral work the Gonzales Cantata was featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Harper’s Magazine, National Review, Comedy Central, and on Fox News and MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, where host Rachel Maddow described it as “the coolest thing you’ve ever seen on this show.” The Gonzales Cantata was subsequently staged as an opera by American Opera Theater and played a sold-out run in Baltimore, and has been performed in Chicago, Texas, and twice in the Pacific Northwest.

Mission

As a composer, I believe that music is not only a form of expression but a means of communication. My primary mission is to connect with my audience so that they discover and understand the ideas, emotions, and narratives in my music.
I want my music to be relevant to the world around it and exist in that world. It is inspired by and explores real-world issues of social justice and personal relationships.
I am deeply committed to bringing the voices of women and minorities to the stage, either by telling their stories, or telling stories from their perspective.

Join us for our ZOOM call with Melissa Dunphy on:

Monday, July 27th,

from 4:00 – 5:00pm!

NOTE: Registration will close at 7pm EDT on Sunday, July 26.

After 7pm, registration may be possible if time permits by sending an email request to Sarah Michal.

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