William Dougherty

(Re)soundings Renewed

During my fellowship at the Institute, I will work on a large-scale composition for orchestra, electronics, and amplified wax cylinder phonograph dialoguing with the sounds of decay. I will also work on a composition for microtonal organ and ensemble and a new album of electronic music.

William (Bill) Dougherty is a composer, writer, and sound artist. He earned his DMA in music composition in 2021 from Columbia University. His music invites listeners to engage with the “inner life” of sounds. Drawing from early recording technology, his work often explores elements of decay, distortion, and erasure. His music has been presented at festivals including IRCAM's ManiFeste, Klangspuren, musikprotokoll, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, Donaueschingen Musiktage, New Music Miami, and the New York Philharmonic Biennale. In 2021, he was recipient of the Luciano Berio Rome Prize in Music Composition from the American Academy in Rome. He served as an Early Career Fellow at Columbia University in 2021-22, where he taught courses in music composition, music theory, and music technology.