350 word biography

Composer-vocalist Gilda Lyons (b. 1975) creates works that redefine composition and performance through the lens of vocalism. Her creative voice is characterized by emotional honesty and a systematic rejection of orthodoxy, fluently combining everything from vocal howls and Renaissance polyphony to Celtic ballads and modernist extended techniques.

Social activism and her Nicaraguan roots underpin much of her catalog. Notable works include the environmentalist opera A New Kind of Fallout for the Opera Theater of Pittsburgh and the upcoming political chamber operafilm Corazón de Esperanza (2026/27) Her wind ensemble work la flor más linda, a response to political unrest in Nicaragua, has been performed by over thirty ensembles, including an orchestral premiere under Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Other significant commissions include Cenizas for the CBDNA National Conference and the "irresistible" a cappella work Momotombo, recorded by Musica Viva NY (Naxos). Her music is also featured on Grammy-nominated albums and releases by labels such as New Focus, Parma, and Yarlung.

As a performer, Lyons has been praised by Opera News for her "winning delivery, full of character" and by Opera UK for a "clear soprano [that] compels admiration." An award-winning actress, she received Best Actress at the Paris Film Awards for the operafilm 9/10: Love Before the Fall.

She served as Founding Director of The Phoenix Concerts (2005-2023) in New York, commissioning dozens of new works. Dr. Lyons is currently Program Chair and Associate Professor of Composition at The Hartt School, University of Hartford, and Artistic Director of the Richard P. Garmany Concert Series. She has served as Composer-in-Residence for Chautauqua Opera and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. Her music is published by Schott, E.C. Schirmer, and Burning Sled Media. She holds a Ph.D. from Stony Brook University and made her professional debut in 1997 with the American Symphony Chamber Orchestra.