Bonnie McLarty is a composer, theorist, and music educator with roots in the Pacific Northwest. She is currently based in Missouri, where she teaches music theory and songwriting at the University of Missouri-Columbia (“Mizzou”). She is on the faculty at the Mizzou summer composition institute and teaches a limited number of private lessons in songwriting and composition.
About the Music
Bonnie McLarty’s music has been described as “beautifully written, singable, and rewarding.” Her music has been performed in Italy, Scandinavia, and across the United States. Her pieces have won several awards, including the 2019 Cincinnati Camerata Composition Award and the 2017 Robert E. Foster Wind Ensemble Prize. Much of her recent work has focused on collaborating with women poets and local artists, particularly her art song folio Weather-telling and her dramatic song cycle Snow Angel, which was premiered by the Lawrence Opera Theatre in August 2019. Bonnie is particularly interested creating community through music. Her works often feature musical dialog between performers, extra-musical elements, and significant influences from American vernacular and popular genres.
Commissioned Works
Recent commissions and projects include works for various acoustic instruments and ensembles, including vocal and choral works, featuring classical forms infused with sound colors and rhythmic elements from other genres. Specializing in exploring the human voice and creating musical community through collaborations with poets and artists working in other mediums.
Music Instruction
Providing applied music instruction for creative, committed students ages 4 and older, focused on developing healthy technique and a well-rounded musical foundation while nurturing the creative abilities of each student. Lessons are offered online via Zoom and offer a blend of creative music-writing and software skills with physically sound keyboard technique and a rich variety of repertoire.
Credentials: DMA (Music Composition)-University of Kansas. MM (Piano Performance)-University of Wyoming; National Certification (NCTM) through MTNA; BA (Piano) with a minor in Elementary Education-Walla Walla College.