Gregory Spears
Gregory Spears is a New York-based composer who has been commissioned by The New York Philharmonic, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seraphic Fire, The Crossing, Volti, BMI/Concert Artists Guild, Vocal Arts DC, New York Polyphony, The New York International Piano Competition, the JACK Quartet, and The New York Youth Symphony among others. Spears' 21-movement solo piano cycle "Seven Days" was released in the form of a custom-designed mobile app produced by the 92Y in fall 2021. His opera "Castor and Patience", written in collaboration with Tracy K. Smith, premiered in 2022 at Cincinnati Opera and was nominated for an International Opera Award and was a New York Times "Critic's Pick." Spears and Smith's latest opera "The Righteous" was commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera and will receive its world premiere there in summer 2024. Spears' opera, "Fellow Travelers", written in collaboration with Greg Pierce, premiered at Cincinnati Opera in 2016 and will have its 14th production this season. The premiere was featured in The New York Times' Best in Classical Music for 2016, and Cincinnati Opera released a commercial CD recording in 2017. His music is published by Schott Music and Schott PSNY.