Composer Paul Salerni’s music “pulses with life, witty musical ideas and instrumental color” (The Philadelphia Inquirer), and has been described by the New York Times as “impressive” and “playful.” In the 2018-19 season, Salerni will witness three premieres: Four City Scenes for mezzo and guitar on poems by Richard Wilbur and Kevin Young (October 27, 2018), Daliance, five movements for string quartet and percussion, and Haunted, a one-act dance opera on a libretto by Dana Gioia for baritone, three dancers, string quartet, and percussion (March 2, 2019). A choral piece entitled “Bethlehem Carol” will be published by Carl Fischer in fall 2018.
Salerni’s one-act opera Tony Caruso’s Final Broadcast won the National Opera Association’s Chamber Opera competition in 2007, and a definitive recording of the opera was released on Naxos. His second one-act, The Life and Love of Joe Coogan, is an adaptation of a Dick Van Dyke TV Show episode. Both one-acts are published by Theodore Presser. Other recent pieces include a ballet (FABLES) commissioned by RIOULT New York as well as commissions from Philadelphia Brass, Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, Two-Part Invention, Cape Cod Symphony, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta, and SATORI. A CD of Salerni’s chamber music (“Touched”) was released by Albany Records in January 2015 and a second Albany CD featuring chamber music and songs on texts by Dana Gioia (“Speaking of Love”) was released in January 2017.
Salerni is the NEH Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and Professor of Music at Lehigh University. He received his Ph.D. in composition from Harvard University, where he studied with Earl Kim. Salerni has performed and lectured about Kim’s music in Korea, at the Kennedy Center, the 92nd St. Y, and the Aspen Music Festival. A dedicated educator, Salerni was the recipient of the Stabler Award, Lehigh University’s most valued acknowledgement of excellence in teaching. He served for seven years on the Board of Directors of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, including two years as its Chair.
