Dinu Ghezzo
Dinu Ghezzo (1941–2011) received his education in conducting, music education and in composition at the Romanian Conservatory in Bucharest (1964 & 1966), and subsequently earned a PhD. in composition at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1973. He concluded a thirty-four years career at NYU, as a professor of music and Director of the Composition Studies. Dr. Ghezzo remained as a Professor Emeritus at NYU, where the Music & Performing Arts Department instituted the Dinu Ghezzo Composition Award. He also taught at Lehman College (CUNY).
Much involved in national and international music projects, he was the founder and president of Musica Nueva Malaga Festival (Spain), ICIA Inc. (International Composers and Interactive Artists), President of NABLA Ensemble, in Residence at Univ. of Rome II, “Tor Vergata” (Italy), founder and director of the ICIA Inc. (Int’l Composers & Interactive Artists), INMC Inc. (International Music Consortium), the Assisi International Music Days, among others, and is past director of ANMC Inc., Todi International Music Days, Gubbio Festival, Molfetta Festival, CIPAM Festival in Montevarchi (Italy), Constanta International Music Days, The Week of Romanian American Music in Oradea, Romania, etc.
Dinu was a recipient of a honorary doctorate from Ovidius University, Constanta (Romania), and of many awards, prizes, residences, and commissions: Fulbright Senior Scholar (Music & Dance Academy-Jerusalem, 2006), visiting composer at the American Academy in Rome, composer-in-residence at Dresden Festival and guest composer at the Berlin Hochschuel der Kunste (Germany), at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, Belgium, at the Hungarian Arts and Letters Academy in Budapest, at the Jerusalem Music Academy (Israel) and at the Music Academy in Krakow (Poland), CAPS Award – New York, George Enescu Awards, ASCAP Awards, NYSCA and NEA Grants, leading international ensembles and soloists, and residencies as guest composer, conductor and performer.
Maestro Ghezzo conducted the NYU Orchestra, the Washington Square Orchestra, the Black Sea Symphony (ac. Constanta Symphony), Oradea Philharmonic, Timisoara Symphony Orchestra, the Bucharest Music Academy Orchestra, etc. He was founder and co-director with Leo Kraft of the New York Repertory Ensemble, and founder and co-director with Jack Kreiselman of the NYU Contemporary Players, appearing at Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, at Monday Evening Concerts, Univ. of Illinois, Univ. of Michigan, SMU, LSU, North Texas State Univ, etc. as well internationally in Europe and Asia.
His music is published by Editions Salabert of Paris, Lantro Music – Belgium, by Musica Scritta, the AIM Press (Italy), TGE (Milan, Rome), the Calabrese Brothers and by Subito/Seesaw Music Corporation, New York. He served on many national and international board of directors and juries such as The Pierre Schaeffer Composition Competition, Georges Enesco Competition, INMC Inc, etc. He had major performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, Zankel Hall at Carnegie, Merkin Hall, Monday Evening Concert in Los Angeles, and many appearances at international festivals and conferences, at the Paris Conservatory & Sorbonne Univesity (France), Sibelius Conservatory (Finland), Amsterdam Conservatory, Univ. of Oldenburg (Germany), Univ. of Montreal, Odessa Conservatory (Ucraine), Univ. of Porto (Portugal), Seoul National Univ., etc.
His compositions are featured on several Orion Master Recording albums, on several Capstone Records, on INNova, Ariel Records, as well as on TGE Switzerland, (Tirreno Gruppo Editoriale), WDR Cologne, Helsinki Radio, Raum Klang (Bayerischer Rundfunk) and Grenadilla label. Biographical entries in Baker Music Dictionary, the Geschichte und Gegenwart, Who’s Who in Music, J. Machlis Contemporary Composers, etc. (source)
MUSIC on internet: Abyss, Midnight Blues