Michael Daugherty is a renowned composer celebrated for his vivid and imaginative compositions that draw on American culture, history, and myth. In 2011, he received the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Deus ex Machina for piano and orchestra. The recording by the Nashville Symphony also earned awards for Best Orchestral Performance and Best Engineered Album, Classical.
In 2017, Daugherty won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Tales of Hemingway for cello and orchestra. This recording also garnered awards for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for cellist Zuill Bailey and Best Classical Compendium for the Nashville Symphony’s album featuring Daugherty’s works.