About

Short Bio:

The music of Anthony Donofrio reflects a deep interest in delicate and fragile treatments of time and gesture that are often interrupted or broken. Their work investigates the compositional intersection of music and experimental literature, specifically in the realm of nonlinearity and structural distortion. Anthony’s music has been featured nationally and internationally by many wonderful, generous, and exceptionally talented people.

Anthony teaches composition, theory, twentieth-century music history, and directs the new music ensemble at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Anthony also directs the UNK New Music Series and Festival, which brings specialists in contemporary music to central Nebraska to present recitals, master classes, and lectures. When not composing, Anthony enjoys book collecting, studying occultism, and cooking.

Expanded Bio:

The music of Anthony Donofrio reflects a deep interest in delicate and fragile treatments of time and gesture that are often interrupted or broken. Their work investigates the compositional intersection of music and experimental literature, specifically in the realm of nonlinearity and structural distortion.

Anthony’s music has been performed and commissioned by many leading performers and ensembles of contemporary music, including Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, the International Contemporary Ensemble, Longleash Piano Trio, the S.E.M. Ensemble, Chamber Cartel, the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music, Hasco Duo, soprano Liz Pearse, pianist Amy O’Dell, bassist James Ilgenfritz, and many others. Festival and conference performances include the ElectroAcoustic Barn Dance, Bowling Green New Music Festival, the University of Tennessee Contemporary Music Festival, ElectroAcoustic Mini-Festival, and the University of South Florida New Music Symposium, among others.

Anthony teaches composition, theory, twentieth-century music history, and directs the new music ensemble at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Anthony also directs the UNK New Music Series and Festival, which brings specialists in contemporary music to central Nebraska to present recitals, master classes, and lectures. A former student of David Gompper, Frank Wiley, John Eaton, and Paul Schoenfield, Anthony holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of Iowa. When not composing, Anthony enjoys book collecting, studying occultism, and cooking.

Artist Statement:

My pieces are attempts; attempts to create individual sound worlds that speak for themselves, existing on their own terms and conditions.

I am very concerned, possibly obsessed, with the shapes and durations of my pieces. For me, durations have personality and character, similar to how certain chords and certain sounds have character. A six-minute piece speaks differently than a 30-minute piece, and I have found much pleasure in exploring these differences. Furthermore, I am interested in questioning and challenging the notions of beginning and ending. I often do not intentionally end my pieces, preferring to allow them to stop on their own. I believe that this approach brings a satisfying ambiguity to both the creation of the work and the final product.

I am influenced by the compositional techniques found in all arts as well as in music. I enjoy attempting to mirror the structural divisions of novels and the immediacy of painting. Though my approach to creation is interdisciplinary, I believe in absolute music and do not concern myself with depicting or recreating emotions, stories, or narratives. Rather, I find beauty in simply experiencing sound as it is passes through time. My music, my creative need, is an attempt to bring reflection and commentary on this belief.