Stefania De Kenessey

Stefania De Kenessey is a prominent composer and educator in contemporary classical music, currently serving as a Professor of Music at The New School in New York City. She has also held the position of Dean at Eugene Lang College and has been the Chair of the Arts Department. De Kenessey holds a BA from Yale University and both an MFA and PhD in composition from Princeton University, where she studied under the renowned composer Milton Babbitt.134

Her compositions span a wide range of genres, including choral, operatic, orchestral, and chamber music, and her works have been performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as internationally in over 35 countries.25 Notable pieces include her operatic adaptation of Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities, which premiered in 2015, and various concertos for distinguished soloists.45

De Kenessey is also recognized for her commitment to promoting women in music, serving as the founding president of the International Alliance for Women in Music and actively participating in initiatives aimed at achieving gender parity in the field.235 Her music has garnered critical acclaim, with reviews praising its accessibility and depth, often likening her compositions to the works of classical masters like Mozart and Brahms.14

In addition to her teaching and composing, she is involved in various organizations that support women composers, such as the Martina Arroyo Foundation and The New Historia, which focuses on recovering women's legacies in history.13