Garrett Byrnes (born December 30, 1971) is an American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

. Byrnes was born in

Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

while his father was stationed at the U.S. Army Base there, and relocated to

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

in the United States. He studied music composition, receiving his bachelor's degree from the

Boston Conservatory Boston Conservatory at Berklee (formerly The Boston Conservatory) is a private performing arts conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, music, and theater. Boston Conservatory was founded o ...

, his master's degree from the

Peabody Institute The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a Private university, private music and dance music school, conservatory and College-preparatory school, preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1857, it became affiliat ...

of the

Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...

, and his doctorate from the

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music. It has more than 1,500 students, approximately half of whom ar ...

. Since embarking on his professional career, Byrnes has worked with numerous performers both in the United States and abroad. His music has been read and performed by ensembles including the

Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...

, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire,

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is a major American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The largest performing arts organization in Indiana, the orchestra was founded in 1930 and is based at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown ...

, Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, Chesapeake Youth Repertory Orchestra, Peabody Symphony and Concert orchestras, Indiana University New Music Ensemble, Cleveland Chamber Collective, Tarab Cello Ensemble, and Tonus Percussion Group. Byrnes' orchestral music in particular is currently gaining wider recognition. In 2004 the Indiana University New Music Ensemble premiered his Concerto for Piano and Chamber Orchestra. Later that same year his work "Red Moon" was premiered in California after receiving the Northridge Prize for orchestral composition. On December 1, 2006, conductor

Osmo Vänskä Osmo Antero Vänskä (born 28 February 1953) is a Finnish conductor, clarinetist, and composer. Biography Vänskä started his musical career as an orchestral clarinetist with the Turku Philharmonic (1971–76). He then became the principal clar ...

lead the Minnesota Orchestra in the world premiere of "Solace". In 2008, renowned French Cellist Xavier Phillips premiered "La Chapelle d'Aiguilhe: Concerto for Cello & Orchestra" with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire under conductor Sascha Goetzel. Byrnes has taught composition at

Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Bloomington, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856. History The in ...

as adjunct assistant professor of composition, at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

as associate instructor of composition, and at

Ball State University Ball State University (Ball State or BSU) is a public research university in Muncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Fishers, Indiana. The university is composed of seven aca ...

as assistant professor of composition and theory. He has studied composition with

Sven-David Sandström Sven-David Sandström (30 October 1942 – 10 June 2019) was a Swedish classical composer of operas, oratorios, ballets, and choral works, as well as orchestral works. Life and career Sandström was born in Motala and studied art history and mus ...

, Chen Yi, Don Freund, David Dzubay, and Larry Bell. In addition to awards from the

American Music Center New Music USA is a new music organization formed by the merging of the American Music Center with Meet The Composer on November 8, 2011. The new organization retains the granting programs of the two former organizations as well as two media progr ...

, National Association of Composers,

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...

, USA International Harp Composition Competition,

California State University, Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge), is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. With a total enrollment of 36,848 students (as of Fall 2024), it has the ...

, Indiana University, Boston Conservatory and others, Byrnes has received fellowships from the artist retreat organizations

Yaddo Yaddo is an artists' community located on a estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is "to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment.". On March ...

and the

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) is a residential artist community in Amherst, Virginia, USA. Since 1971, VCCA has offered residencies of varying lengths with flexible scheduling for international artists, writers, and composers at ...

. Byrnes' harp works have been recorded on th
Channel Classics
and

Kalan Müzik Kalan Müzik or Kalan Music for the West is a Turkish independent record label company based in Istanbul. It was founded in 1991 by Hasan Saltık. It specializes in releasing Saltık's recordings of classical and traditional ethnic and folk music ...

recording labels. His viola works have been recorded on th
Arabesque Records
label.

Major works

*Capriccio Improvviso (15', 2013) Viola & Piano Commissioned by and dedicated to Maggie Snyder through the generosity of the University of Georgia's Willson Center Grant for the Humanities *Leeds Devil Nocturne (12', 2012) Flute (optional piccolo) & Piano Commissioned by the Cleveland Chamber Collective and written for Mary Kay Fink and Nicholas Underhill *Valley of Butterflies (15', 2011) Harp solo, 5 movements *Capriccio Tempestoso (10', 2010) Orchestra: 2-1-2-1; 2-2-2-1; timp, perc (1); solo harp; strings *Devil in Moscow (15', 2009) A Fantastical Character Suite for Viola & Harpsichord Commissioned by Maggie Snyder and Alexandra Snyder Dunbar through the generosity of the West Virginia University Foundation *La Chapelle d'Aiguilhe: Concerto for Cello & Orchestra (18', 2008) Orchestra: 2-2-2-2; 2-2-0-0; timp.; solo cello; strings Commissioned for Xavier Phillips and the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire *Mosaics (for wind quintet, 8', 2008) Commissioned by the Alpha Lambda chapter of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (legally Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha, PMA, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity for men with a special interest ...

fraternity of Illinois Wesleyan University *Villanelle (for violin and harp, 15', 2006) Commissioned for

Lavinia Meijer Lavinia Meijer (born February 12, 1983) is a South Korean-born Dutch harpist.Lavinia Meijer
official site ...

and Tjeerd Top. *Solace (17’, 2005) Orchestra: 3-3-3-3; 4-3-3-1; timp., 3 perc., pno./cel., harp, strings *Concerto for Piano & Chamber Orchestra (15’, 2003) Piano Solo & Chamber Orchestra: 1111; 1111; 2 perc, hp, 2111 Commissioned by the Indiana University New Music Ensemble *Persist (13’, 2003) For eight cellos Commissioned by Florent Renard-Payen and the Tarab Cello Ensemble *Triptyclysm (16’, 2002) For percussion trio Commissioned by Tonus Percussion Group *Songs of the Sea (15’, 2001) Tenor & Piano, 5 movements *Visions in Twilight (8’, 2000) Harp solo Written for

Fatma Ceren Necipoğlu Fatma Ceren Necipoğlu (18 January 1973 – 1 June 2009) was a Turkish harpist and university lecturer for piano and harp. She was aboard Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, France, which crashed in the Atlantic Ocean on 1 ...

Available from

Lyon & Healy Lyon & Healy Harps, Inc. is an American musical instrument manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois and is a subsidiary of Salvi Harps, but also has a layered corporate structure. Today best known for concert harps, the company's Chicago headquar ...

West *The Flames of Imbolc (12', 1999) Orchestra: 3-3-3-3; 4-3-3-1; timp., 3 perc.; strings

External links

GarrettByrnes.com
Byrnes' home site, with list of works and other pertinent information. {{DEFAULTSORT:Byrnes, Garrett 1971 births Living people 20th-century American classical composers 21st-century American classical composers American male classical composers Boston Conservatory at Berklee alumni Peabody Institute alumni Jacobs School of Music alumni Illinois Wesleyan University faculty Indiana University faculty Ball State University faculty 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians