Daugherty vs. Golijov

If you haven't heard the music of either Michael Daugherty (modern composer and composition teacher at Michigan State University) or Osvaldo Golijov, then you need to. Now. In my opinion, these are two of the greatest living composers out there, and surprisingly - even though their backgrounds are completely different - they seem to have very similar styles of writing. Both flourish using a strong cultural influence, even though the cultures are very different.

Daugherty, who grew up in Iowa, has a strong jazz background, and often uses American cultural icons as inspiration for his pieces. For example, his best-known work, Metropolis Symphony, is a symphony of 5 movements, each one based on a character from the Superman epic. On the other hand, Osvaldo Golijov grew up in an Eastern European Jewish household. In his later years as a composer, both his religious background and cultural background would have great influences on his music.

Both are very unique composers, yet at the same time share certain qualities. Recently, I played a piece called Strut by Daugherty, and several of my friends whom I had played a piece called Last Round by Golijov, and both they and I recognized the similarities between them. It's a very odd coincidence when two composers with completely different backgrounds who have (probably) never met can sound so similar but they do. Seriously, go look them up. Even if you don't agree with me, I'll still have gotten you to listen to two extremely talented modern composers.

-Phil