BIOGRAPHY

BIO

Jared Destro was born in Buffalo, New York, USA on August 19, 1998. Jared began his musical career as a piano and organ improviser, starting his lessons at 13. Soon after, he joined the Eastman Community Music School in Rochester, NY for composition lessons with composer Paul Hofmann, and he began regular performances with the Buffalo Chromatic Club as a solo piano improviser.

At the research-focused University at Buffalo, Jared earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music Theory, Harmony, and Counterpoint from 2016-2019, and whilst there he studied primarily under: performer and clarinetist Jean Kopperud, who was vital in developing his skills as an improviser; composer, professor, and researcher Cort Lippe, who reinforced his early compositional foundation; and writer, performer, and theorist Dr James Currie, who was fundamental in sparking Jared's interest in musicology and theoretical research.

Before graduating summa cum laude, Jared was able to also attend Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic for a term in 2018. While the emphasis in this program was political science and history, it proved instrumental in connecting the composer to the fine arts, literature, history, and, of course, music. He connected with the art of František Kupka and Alfons Mucha, the photography of Josef Koudelka, and the stories of the Hussite Revolution, the Samizdat (самиздат), and many other facets to Central European culture/history.

Jared then earned his Master of Music (MMus.) in Composition from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) with distinction, from 2019-2021. This was crucial in the composer's growth, as he was able to compose a wide number of works, and he was able to collaborate with a number of musicians and organizations. These include the Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra, BBC NOW, Tŷ Cerdd, the Band of the Welsh Guards, and on several occasions the Symphony Orchestra of the RWCMD.

Additionally, he was commissioned for the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2021, the World Harp Congress 2022, as well as by the Junior Conservatoire of the RWCMD.

Whilst at the RWCMD, his tutors were primarily the composers Lynne Plowman, Joseph Davies, Owen Lloyd, Mark Boden, and Michael McCartney. All of these composers had a profound impact on his development as a composer.

During this time, important works for the composer include: Harvest Festival, for orchestra; Flower Suite, for flute quintet; Chevrefoil (“Honeysuckle”), for brass quintet; Epitaph, for two flutes and harp; and many more.

Numerous of his works have been awarded or shortlisted for awards. Madonna of the Lilies was awarded the first-place prize (International) in the Warsaw Wind Ensemble Composition Contest 2020. It was performed by Concert Orchestra of the Representative Artistic Ensemble of the Polish Armed Forces, and it was conducted by Michelle Rakers.

Piano Trio No. 1 was awarded second overall in the NMGCS II International Composition, which was a celebration of composer Fikret Amirov. It was premiered in Baku, Azerbaijan on 22.09.2022 at the Hajibeyli International Festival, and it was performed on 20.10.2022 at the Bruno Walter Auditorium Lincoln Center, New York City.

In Flanders Fields, for string orchestra, was  performed by the chamber orchestra Kammermusikkreis Würselen on March 5th at 6pm in the Martin-Luther-Church at 52146 Würselen, Bahnhofstraße. 1.

More recently, his Piano Quartet was shortlisted for the O/Modernt Composition Award 2023, and his Piano Suite No. 5 was shortlisted for the Red Jasper Award 2022. Additionally, he has worked as a composer and orchestrator in the studio team of composer, conductor, and pianist Xu Zhong.

His current focus is on the completion of his first symphony for orchestra, revisions on his six piano suites, the composition of his first piano concerto, and his concert debut in Finland during the summer of 2024.

For scores, please visit Universal Edition