Steven Sérpa is an award-winning composer of opera, choral, symphonic, and chamber music. His orchestral and chamber works have been performed by the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, and others, and he was recently chosen by the American Composers Orchestra to be part of their EarShot emerging composer fellowship. Steven’s one-act opera Thyrsis & Amaranth was premiered by Hartford Opera Theater and has had dozens of performances since, with critics describing it as “a powerfully emotional contemporary opera,” “truly beautiful… a magnificent little story jammed full of thought and feeling” with “gorgeous music and wrenching lyrics.” Recent commissions include works for the Pale Blue Dot, Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra, and the Sterling Trio as well as a series of recent vocal works, including Canciónes de desamor with Mexican poet Cecilia M. Castillo, The Creatures: A Bestiary Retold on the poetry of Jeffery Beam, and a marriage-rights cantata on the writings of Mildred Loving, And Loving for All. His recent oratorio james (book of ruth)tackles the subject of HIV Stigma and was premiered by Inversion Ensemble in Austin, TX. His new one-act opera these wings are meant to fly responding to the Pulse nightclub shooting was premiered by Thompson Street Opera in Chicago with other productions in Toronto, Montréal, Hartford, and Austin.
Steven is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a doctorate in composition. He holds master’s degrees in composition from the Hartt School of the University of Hartford and in early music performance from Longy School of Music. He earned bachelor’s degrees in vocal performance and music history at the University of Rhode Island. Steven has studied with composers Tom Cipullo in New York, Larry Alan Smith and Stephen Gryč at the Hartt School, and with Donald Grantham, Yevgeniy Sharlat, and Dan Welcher at the University of Texas.
Steven works as co-director of Fast Forward Austin, producing inventive, forward-looking music experiences for local audiences and communities. He is an active vocalist currently performing with Inversion Ensemble and Texas Early Music Project. He makes his home outside Austin, TX with his partner and their rescue dogs.
