D'albora, Melissa

Biography

Melissa D’Albora’s is a composer who focuses on conversation between artist or ensemble and audience through counterpoint, tonal centers, and cryptograms. Her compositional techniques are driven by extramusical topics related to lived experiences like mental health, societal expectations, and current political events. D’Albora’s goal is
not to force her perspective on others, but rather spark discussion in an open-minded space.

Respire (2020) for flute and guitar is a reflection searching for inner peace. The piece received the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant and was premiered by Duo Sequenza in 2021. A Fantasy (2019), commissioned by GRAMMY®-Award winning Seraphic Fire, addresses the expectations women face in society. South Florida Classical described her work as “an exploration of spatial harmonics that evidenced a sure command of writing for the voice.” D’Albora’s works have been performed throughout North America by community ensembles like the East Central Indiana Community Orchestra and professional artists like Claire Grellier, Lindsey J. Goodman, and Seraphic Fire.

D’Albora holds two Bachelor of Music degrees in viola performance and composition from the University of Connecticut. She received her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Her composition mentors have been Dorothy Hindman, Charles Mason, and Kenneth Fuchs. In addition to composing, D’Albora has taught music theory at the Frost School of Music and the Bower School of Music. In addition to teaching and composing, she currently serves as Millennium Composers Initiative’s EID Assistant Director.