Garrett Byrnes (born December 30, 1971) is an American composer. Raised in a military family, Byrnes was born in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, and then relocated to New Jersey in the United States. He studied music composition getting his bachelor's degree at the Boston Conservatory, his master's degree at Peabody Institute, and received his doctorate from Indiana University in 2005. 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 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, Chesapeake Youth Repertory Orchestra and Flute Choir, Peabody Symphony and Concert orchestras, and the 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 lead the Minnesota Orchestra in the world premiere of Solace. Byrnes has taught composition at Illinois Wesleyan University as adjunct assistant professor of composition, at Indiana University as associate instructor of composition, and currently teaches at Ball State University as assistant professor of composition and theory. He has studied composition with Sven-David Sandström, Chen Yi, Don Freund, David Dzubay, and Larry Bell. In addition to awards from the American Music Center, National Association of Composers, ASCAP, USA International Harp Composition Competition, California State University, Northridge, Indiana University, Boston Conservatory and others, Byrnes has received fellowships from Yaddo and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Major works
- Solace (17’, 2005)
Orchestra: 3-3-3-3; 4-3-3-1; timp., 3 perc., pno./cel., harp, str. Program Notes
- 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 Program Notes
- 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
- Visions in Twilight (8’, 2000)
Harp solo Written for Fatma Ceren Necipoglu Published by Lyon & Healy West
External links
- Musica Cosmopoita, Byrnes' home site, with a complete list of works and upcoming performances.
