Benjamin Webster

2021 William Thomas McKinley Memorial
​Alba Alumni Commission

We are thrilled to announce Badie Khaleghian, a 2019 Alba Composition Program Alum, is the recipient of the 2021 Alba Alumni Commission. This commission, named in honor of the late American composer, William Thomas McKinley, and supported by gift from the William Thomas McKinley Foundation, is awarded annually to one of the alumni of the Alba Music Festival Composition Program. Mr. Khaleghian will compose a new work for the 2021 resident group, Transient Canvas, during the 2021 Alba Music Festival.

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About The Commissioned Composer

The music of Iranian-American composer Badie Khaleghian has been called “well-crafted, attractive modern score” (ARTSATL). His compositions are wide-ranging in influence and inspiration, encompassing solo, chamber, orchestral, and electro-acoustic works. Khaleghian’s music is influenced by his Middle Eastern background, his social justice activism, and his passion for collaboration. His recent works explores the idea of defining self-identity through close collaboration with musicians, artists, and scientists. Khaleghian’s music has been performed in Iran, United States, Austria, Italy, and Canada. Due to his religious background, he was banned from public higher education in Iran, but he studied, taught, and created music major for persecuted Bahá’ís in Iran. In 2014 he came to US as a religious refugee. At US, he received his bachelor and master’s degree in music composition from University of Georgia, and currently perusing his DMA in music composition at Rice University.

Badie (second from the left) with some of the other 2019 Alba fellows during a concert with Sonic Apricity.