Ted Hearne

Ted Hearne is a composer, singer, and bandleader who serves on the composition faculty at the University of Southern California. Praised by The New York Times for his 'tough edge and wildness of spirit,' and 'topical, politically sharp-edged works,' Hearne creates music inspired by the overlay of different viewpoints and their sonic possibilities. His compositions are personal, multi-dimensional works that often explore unconventional interactions of text and music, rooted in a sense of inquiry.

Hearne's research interests center on politically engaged contemporary composition that blends multiple genres including jazz, pop, soul, gospel, electronica, and contemporary classical. His work frequently addresses social justice issues, American political history, and the intersection of text and music. Pitchfork called Hearne's work 'some of the most expressive socially engaged music in recent memory -- from any genre,' and Alex Ross wrote in The New Yorker that Hearne's music 'holds up as a complex mirror image of an information-saturated, mass-surveillance world, and remains staggering in its impact.'

Hearne's major works include 'Sound From the Bench' (2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist), 'Place' (2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Grammy-nominated), and his upcoming recording 'Farming' with The Crossing. His compositions often take the form of multimedia theatrical pieces, operas, and choral works that examine themes of gentrification, corporate personhood, and American history.

• 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist (for 'Sound From the Bench')
• 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist (for 'Place')
• 2021 Grammy Award nominee (two categories for 'Place')
• 2014 New Voices Residency from Boosey and Hawkes

Hearne's advising and collaborative work spans numerous institutions and artists. He has been commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Royal Ballet and Opera, and New World Symphony. His collaborators include Erykah Badu, Pam Tanowitz, Taylor Mac, Damon Davis, and Daniel Fish, while his works have been conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, John Adams, and Gustavo Dudamel. Currently, Hearne is working on a new operatic adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Dispossessed' scheduled to premiere in 2027.

Hearne leads Unsettlement Music, a fluid ensemble of instrumentalists, vocalists, electronic musicians, and improvisers that tours with him and performs many of his large-scale works. This ensemble allows him to realize his complex, genre-blending compositions that require performers comfortable with both written and improvised elements across multiple musical traditions.