Dave Ragland is a four-time Emmy-nominated composer, conductor, vocalist and educator based in Nashville. Most recently, Ragland was named the first-place winner of the Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour Opera Composition Competition.
He also received the 2022 Adams-Owens Composition Award from the African-American Art Song Alliance. Ragland has received the 2021 American Prize in Composition, two Telly Awards and two Mid-South Regional Emmy nominations for his work as composer and audio engineer of Nashville Opera’s One Vote Won.
Ragland is currently collaborating with Damon Davis, Ted Hearne, Alarm Will Sound and Inversion Vocal Ensemble on Davis’ concept opera Ligeia Mare. He collaborated with librettist Mary McCallum to create the children’s opera Charlie and the Wolf for the Cedar Rapids Opera, and the educational opera Beatrice for Oregon’s Portland Opera. Additional composition credits include LA Opera, Washington National Opera, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Ballet, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Intersection Contemporary Ensemble, chatterbird and the Alias Chamber Ensemble.
Ragland was the 2020 Grady-Rayam Negro Spirituals Foundation composer-in-residence and a member of the inaugural cohort of composers for the National Teachers of Singing Mentoring Program. Ragland is a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSO by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
