Peter Fahey is one of the eight Resident Composers selected for the 2023 Mizzou International Composers Festival from among 500 applicants, 28% from outside USA, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and Brazil. 

Peter Fahey writes experimental music for classical instruments, sometimes with electronics. He has been described as a composer of “alluring soundscapes” and “arresting moments” (The New York Times) and “a composer who is full of effective ideas” (The Journal of Music). His music has been performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the National Concert Hall Dublin and at festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, and Festival Música Nova, Brazil, among others, by the American Composers Orchestra, the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Continuum, Crash Ensemble, Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble SurPlus, and Talea Ensemble; soloists have included Tony Arnold, Dario Calderone, and Chi-Chen Wu. Recent projects include works for Irish National Opera, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra (Composer Lab), Klangforum Wien (in association with PPCM Graz), and pianist Andrew Zhou. 

Fahey began his music education in Ireland followed by studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England; at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and, as an exchange scholar, at Columbia University, New York. In addition, he has participated in the Voix Nouvelles Composition Session at the Royaumont Foundation, France; the Summer Academy for Young Composers at the Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart; and the Aspen Music Festival and School Master Class Program. Awards include the American Composers Orchestra’s Underwood Commission, a Next Generation Award from the Arts Council of Ireland, and the Franz Liszt Stipendium from the HfM Franz Liszt Weimar as well as fellowships from the Civitella Ranieri Foundation and MacDowell.

For the MICF, Fahey has written a new work, Interludes (2023), which will have its world premiere on July 29 at 7:30 pm at the Missouri Theater. The concert will feature Alarm Will Sound playing world premiere performances by Resident Composers.

You can hear samples of Peter Fahey’s music on his website.