Life

He was born Nicodemo DeGioio in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 to Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 immigrants. He began his musical career as organist

Organist

An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...

 and choir

Choir

A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

 director at the Star of the Sea Church on City Island

City Island, Bronx

City Island is a small island approximately 1.5 mi long by .5 mi wide. At one time attached to the town of Pelham, Westchester County, it is now part of the New York City borough of the Bronx. As of the 2000 census the island had a population of 4,520. Its land area is 1.023 km²...

 in New York at age 14. His father was an organist, pianist

Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...

, and vocal coach and coached many opera

Opera

Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

 stars from the Metropolitan Opera

Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...

. He taught Norman piano starting at the age of four. In his teens, Norman began studying organ with his godfather, Pietro Yon

Pietro Yon

Pietro Alessandro Yon was an Italian-born organist who made his career in the United States.Yon was born in Settimo Vittone, , and studied at the conservatories of both Milan and Turin, also attending the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome...

, who was the organist at Saint Patrick's Cathedral. In 1939, he received a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied composition with Bernard Wagenaar

Bernard Wagenaar

Bernard Wagenaar was a Dutch/American composer, conductor and violinist.Wagenaar, not related to the Dutch composer Johan Wagenaar, was born in Arnhem. He studied at Utrecht University before starting his career as a teacher and conductor in 1914. He moved to the USA in 1920, where he became a...

.

While he was a student, he worked as organist at St. Anne's Church, but he soon decided that he didn't want to make his living as an organist. In 1941, he began studying with Paul Hindemith

Paul Hindemith

Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...

, who encouraged him to follow his own lyrical bent, rather than sacrificing it to the atonal systems then popular.

By the late forties, he was considered one of the foremost American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 composers. He received numerous awards and much recognition. He was a prolific composer in a variety of genres, but is perhaps best known for his choral music

Music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

. Perhaps Dello Joio's most famous work in the wind ensemble category is his Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn, composed for the Michigan State University

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...

 Wind Ensemble and has since been performed thousands of times across the world. Dello Joio also wrote several pieces for high school and professional string orchestra, including the beautiful if difficult Choreography: Three Dances for String Orchestra. In 1948 he became associated with the dancer Martha Graham

Martha Graham

Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...

, for whom he wrote several works, including Diversion of Angels and Seraphic Dialogue, a recomposition for chamber orchestra of his Symphony: The Triumph of Saint Joan.

He won the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Music

Pulitzer Prize for Music

The Pulitzer Prize for Music was first awarded in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer did not call for such a prize in his will, but had arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year...

 for his Meditations on Ecclesiastes; first performed at the Juilliard School on April 20, 1956. His Variations, Chaconne and Finale

Variations, Chaconne and Finale

Variations, Chaconne and Finale is a set of variations for orchestra composed by Norman Dello Joio in 1947; the piece was premiered in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Fritz Reiner, on January 30, 1948. It won the New York Critics Circle Award for the year. It is an orchestral version of his...

won the New York Critics Circle Award in 1948. It is an orchestral version of his Piano Sonata No. 1.

In 1965, Dello Joio received the Emmy Award for the "most outstanding music written for television in the 1964-1965 Season" for his score to the 1964 NBC television special, "The Louvre." The composer created a five movement suite for wind band entitled 'Scenes from "The Louvre."' The suite was commissioned by Baldwin-Wallace College for their symphonic band, and was premiered in on March 13, 1966 with the composer conducting.

He taught at Sarah Lawrence College

Sarah Lawrence College

Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...

 from 1944 to 1950, and at the Mannes College of Music

Mannes College of Music

Mannes College The New School for Music is The New School university's music conservatory. While the university's main campus is located in Greenwich Village, New York City, Mannes maintains its main academic building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan....

. He also served as professor and dean at Boston University

Boston University

Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...

's College of Fine Arts. In 1978, he retired and moved to Long Island. He donated his personal archive of manuscripts and papers to the Music Division
of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Despite infirmities, Dello Joio remained active as a composer until his final years, continuing to produce chamber, choral, and even orchestral music. He died in his sleep on July 24, 2008 at his home in East Hampton, New York.

He was the father of American Olympic medalist

Equestrian at the 1992 Summer Olympics

The Equestrian Events at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics included Dressage, Eventing, and Show Jumping. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions.-Medals:-Medallists:-References:*...

 (equestrian), Norman Dello Joio.

His music

Dello Joio's early works already reveal certain characteristics of his style. He likes to use traditional chants as a cantus firmus with richly contrapuntal settings. It is amusing, but not at all incongruous, to find Gregorian

Gregorian chant

Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...

 melodies and jazzy rhythms rubbing shoulders, for they are blended in a creatively spontaneous texture.
The Ruby (1953) which is based on a "thriller" and is genuine blood-and-thunder music, has more dramatic drive and impact than the other more subtle and refined works. Joio is not slavishly imitative of classic forms, and often, in his sonatas, develops new procedures. But his design is always clear; he never wanders, even when he is a bit prolix. He is especially happy in his variation technique.

One of the most notable uses of his music is his score for choreographer Martha Graham

Martha Graham

Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...

's Diversion of Angels.

Catalogue of works

• Suite for piano, 1940
• Ballad of Thomas Jefferson for voice, 1943
• Vigil Strange for mixed chorus and piano (four hands), 1943
• Magnificat for orchestra, 1944
• Sextet for three recorders and string trio, 1944
• The Mystic Trumpeter for mixed chorus and French horn, 1945
• Prelude: To a Young Musician for piano, 1945
• To a Lone Sentry for orchestra, 1945
• On Stage ballet score for orchestra, 1945
• Suite from "On Stage" for two pianos, 1945
• Prelude: To a Young Dancer for piano, 1946
• Concerto for harp and orchestra, 1946
• A Jubilant Song for mixed or women's chorus and piano, 1946
• Sonata 1 for piano, 1947
• A Fable for mixed chorus and piano, 1947
• Madrigal for mixed chorus and piano, 1947
• Sonata 2 for piano, 1948
• Mill Doors for voice, 1948
• Sonata 3 for piano, 1948
• Trio for flute, cello, and piano, 1948
• New Born for voice, 1948
• There is a Lady Sweet and Kind for voice, 1948
• Fantasia on a Gregorian Theme for violin and piano, 1949
• Concert Music for orchestra, 1949
• Duo Concertato for cello and piano, 1949
• The Assassination for voice, 1949
• Lament for voice, 1949
• Diversion of Angels ballet score for small orchestra, 1949
• Variations and Capriccio for violin and piano, 1949
• Nocturne in E for piano, 1950
• Nocturne in F-sharp for piano, 1950
• Variations, Chaconne and Finale
  Variations, Chaconne and Finale
  Variations, Chaconne and Finale is a set of variations for orchestra composed by Norman Dello Joio in 1947; the piece was premiered in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Fritz Reiner, on January 30, 1948. It won the New York Critics Circle Award for the year. It is an orchestral version of his...
  
   for orchestra, 1950
• "The Triumph of St. Joan", opera in 3 Acts, 1950 (later adapted into The Trial at Rouen for television and into a one act opera)
• A Psalm of David for mixed chorus, strings, brass, and percussion, 1951
• New York Profiles for orchestra, 1952
• The Bluebird for mixed chorus and piano, 1952
• Serenade for orchestra (based on "Diversion of Angels"), 1953
• Somebody's Coming for mixed chorus and piano, 1953
• Epigraph for orchestra, 1953
• Song of the Open Road for mixed chorus, trumpet, and piano, 1953
• Song of Affirmation for mixed chorus, soprano, narrator, and orchestra, 1953
• Sweet Sunny for mixed chorus and piano, 1954
• Six Love Songs for voice, 1954
• The Tall Kentuckian incidental music for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, 1954
• Concertante for clarinet and orchestra, 1955
• Aria and Toccata for two pianos, 1955
• The Ruby opera in one act, 1955
• Adieu, Mignonne, When You Are Gone for women's chorus and piano, 1955
• Meditations on Ecclesiastes for string orchestra, 1956
• Air Power
  Air Power (TV series)
  Air Power is a historical educational television series broadcast in the 1950s over the CBS television network dealing with the rise of aviation as a military weapon. It starred Walter Cronkite as the narrator and featured a musical score by Norman Dello Joio.-Sources:* *...
  
  symphonic suite for orchestra, 1957
• To Saint Cecilia for mixed chorus and brass, 1958
• O Sing unto the Lord for male chorus and organ, 1959
• The Listeners for voice, 1960
• The Holy Infant's Lullaby for voice (also for mixed or women's chorus and piano), 1962
• Family Album for piano four hands, 1962
• Prayers of Cardinal Newman for mixed chorus and organ, 1962
• Three Songs of Adieu for voice, 1962
• Fantasy and Variations for piano and orchestra, 1963
• Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn, 1963
• Variants on a Medieval Tune for band, 1963
• Un Sonetto di Petrarca for voice, 1964
• Colloquies for violin and piano, 1964
• Song's End for female chorus and piano, 1964
• The Louvre television score, 1964
• Suite for the Young for piano, 1964
• Three Songs of Chopin for orchestra (also for two or four voice chorus with piano or orchestra), 1964
• From Every Horizon for band, 1965
• Laudation for organ, 1965
• Antiphonal Fantasy for organ, brass, and strings, 1966
• Scenes from "The Louvre" for band, 1966
• Songs of Walt Whitman for mixed chorus and orchestra or piano, 1966
• A Christmas Carol for voice (also for mixed or women's chorus and piano), 1967
• Five Images for piano four hands, 1967
• Air for Strings for string orchestra, 1967
• Five Images for orchestra, 1967
• Proud Music of the Storm for mixed chorus, brass, and organ, 1967
• Bright Star for voice (also for two voice or mixed chorus and piano), 1968
• Christmas Music for piano-four hands (also for mixed chorus and piano), 1968
• Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn for band, 1968
• Years of the Modern for mixed chorus, brass, and percussion, 1968
• Bagatelles for harp, 1969
• Capriccio on the Interval of a Second for piano, 1969
• Homage to Haydn for orchestra, 1969
• Mass for mixed chorus, brass, and organ, 1969
• Note Left on a Doorstep for voice, 1969
• Songs of Abelard for baritone solo and band, 1969
• The Lamentation of Saul for baritone, flute, oboe, clarinet, viola, and piano (also for full orchestra), 1970
• Evocations for mixed chorus and orchestra or piano, 1970
• Lyric Pieces for the Young for piano, 1971
• Choreography for string orchestra, 1972
• The Developing Flutist, suite for flute and piano, 1972
• Of Crows and Clusters for mixed chorus and piano, 1972
• Psalms of Peace for mixed chorus, trumpet, French horn, and organ, 1972
• Come to Me My Love for mixed chorus and piano, 1973
• Concertante for Wind Instruments for band, 1973
• The Poet's Song for mixed chorus and piano, 1974
• Three Essays for clarinet and piano, 1974
• Leisure for mixed chorus and piano, 1975
• Lyric Fantasies for viola and string orchestra (or string quintet), 1975
• Stage Parodies for piano-four hands, 1975
• Diversions for piano, 1975
• Five Lyric Pieces for the Young Organist, 1975
• Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary for cantor, congregation, mixed choir, and organ (or brass), 1975
• Mass in Honor of the Eucharist for cantor, congregation, mixed choir, and organ, 1975
• Notes from Tom Paine for mixed chorus a cappella, 1975
• Satiric Dances for a Comedy by Aristophanes for band, 1975
• Colonial Ballads for band, 1976
• Colonial Variants for orchestra, 1976
• Songs of Remembrance for baritone voice and orchestra, 1976
• Southern Echoes for orchestra, 1976
• Arietta for string orchestra, 1978
• Caccia for band, 1978
• Concertante for chamber orchestra, 1978
• As of a Dream for Narrator, Soloists, Optional Dancers, Mixed Chorus, and Orchestra, 1979
• The Dancing Sergeant for Band, 1979
• Salute to Scarlatti for Piano or Harpsichord, 1980
• Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, 1980
• Hymns Without Words for Mixed Chorus and Orchestra, 1981
• The Psalmist's Meditation for Mixed Chorus and Piano, 1981
• Concert Variants for Piano, 1983
• Ballabili for Orchestra, 1983
• Love Songs at Parting for Mixed Chorus and Piano, 1984
• I Dreamed of an Invincible City for Chorus and Piano/Organ, 1984
• The Vigil, for Chorus, Brass, and Percussion, 1985
• Nativity for Soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra, 1987
• Passing Strangers for Choir, 2003

External links

• Norman Dello Joio's Official Website
• Norman Dello Joio papers in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
• Interview with Norman Dello Joio by Bruce Duffie, November 17, 1985