Christopher Theofanidis, is a composer whose awards include the International Masterprize, the Rome Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright Fellowship to France, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Charles Ives Fellowship. In 2007 he was nominated for a Grammy for best composition for his chorus and orchestra work, The Here and Now, based on the poetry of Rumi. His orchestral concert work, Rainbow Body, has been been performed by over 100 orchestras internationally. Theofanidis was Composer of the Year for the Pittsburgh Symphony during their 2006-2007 season, for which he wrote a violin concerto for Sarah Chang. Most recent was the debut in 2011 of his first major opera, commissioned by San Francisco Opera, The Heart of a Soldier, which opened to record-setting attendance and high praise. Theofanidis teaches graduate composition at Yale University School of Music. http://www.theofanidismusic.

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