2026 GRAMMY(R) Awards: 2 Nominations, 1 Win
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Upcoming Events
Music for 18 Musicians: Staged Variations
October 14–17, 2026: 7:00p
October 18, 2026: 3:00p
Park Avenue Armory
more info and tickets
Taylor Mac: A 24-decade history of popular music
November 26, 2026: 7:30p
Royal Festival Hall, London UK
more info and tickets
October 14–17, 2026: 7:00p
October 18, 2026: 3:00p
Park Avenue Armory
more info and tickets
Taylor Mac: A 24-decade history of popular music
November 26, 2026: 7:30p
Royal Festival Hall, London UK
more info and tickets
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Alan PiersonGRAMMY®-winning conductor Alan Pierson has been praised by The New York Times as “a dynamic conductor and musical visionary” and by The New Yorker as “a sensational force” with “powerful ideas about how to renovate the concert experience.” He is the founding Artistic Director and conductor of Alarm Will Sound.
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Pierson cultivates deep partnerships with living composers, including Steve Reich, David Lang, Donnacha Dennehy, Cassandra Miller, Tyshawn Sorey, Mary Kouyoumdjian, David T. Little, Michael Gordon, Jlin, Ted Hearne, and many others. His critically acclaimed cross-genre collaborations center diverse artists, including the multi-hyphenate Taylor Mac, choreographer John Heginbotham, and producer Eartheater.
Pierson’s signature theatrical performances engross audiences in deep and affecting experiences of contemporary music. In fall 2026, he directs his most ambitious such project yet: Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians: Staged Variations at the Park Avenue Armory. A premier interpreter of contemporary opera, Pierson leads productions with banner institutions, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, LA Opera, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Beth Morrison Projects, Fort Worth Opera, EMPAC, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Notable credits include David T. Little’s and Royce Vavrek’s Dog Days; Mary Kouyoumdjian’s and Royce Vavrek’s GRAMMY®-nominated Adoration; and David T. Little’s adaptation for Alarm Will Sound of Garth Greenwell’s acclaimed debut novel, What Belongs to You.
Pierson is Co-Director of the Northwestern University Contemporary Music Ensemble. He served as Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic from 2007 to 2015 and as Principal Conductor of Dublin-based Crash Ensemble from 2006 to 2021. A sought-after guest conductor, Pierson has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Sinfonietta. He has released more than 30 albums and holds degrees from MIT and the Eastman School of Music. Learn more at alanpierson.com.
Pierson’s signature theatrical performances engross audiences in deep and affecting experiences of contemporary music. In fall 2026, he directs his most ambitious such project yet: Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians: Staged Variations at the Park Avenue Armory. A premier interpreter of contemporary opera, Pierson leads productions with banner institutions, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, LA Opera, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Beth Morrison Projects, Fort Worth Opera, EMPAC, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Notable credits include David T. Little’s and Royce Vavrek’s Dog Days; Mary Kouyoumdjian’s and Royce Vavrek’s GRAMMY®-nominated Adoration; and David T. Little’s adaptation for Alarm Will Sound of Garth Greenwell’s acclaimed debut novel, What Belongs to You.
Pierson is Co-Director of the Northwestern University Contemporary Music Ensemble. He served as Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic from 2007 to 2015 and as Principal Conductor of Dublin-based Crash Ensemble from 2006 to 2021. A sought-after guest conductor, Pierson has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Sinfonietta. He has released more than 30 albums and holds degrees from MIT and the Eastman School of Music. Learn more at alanpierson.com.
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"a dynamic conductor and musical visionary"
The New York Times “a luminary in contemporary classical music” The New York Times “an extraordinary inaugural season" Time Out New York "a leader in the borough’s increasingly vibrant new-music scene.” The New Yorker “The performance was a marvel." The New York Times “truly inspiring” The New York Times "exactness and verve that might inspire any composer to dream big.” The New York Times Additional press... |
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Artistic Director, Alarm Will Sound
Co-Director, Northwestern University Contemporary Music Ensemble |
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