Shara Nova
Shara Nova is a composer, vocalist, musician, and an artist of many gifts currently creating from Detroit, Michigan. She has released five albums under the moniker My Brightest Diamond and has composed works for The Crossing, Conspirare, yMusic, Brooklyn Rider, Nadia Sirota, Cantus Domus, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Roomful of Teeth, Aarhus Symfoni, North Carolina Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, American Composers Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra, among others.
In 2019, she composed for over 600 musicians along with the Cincinnati Symphony, a piece entitled "Look Around," with director Mark DeChiazza. Her baroque chamber p’opera “You Us We All” premiered in the US in October 2015 at BAM Next Wave Festival. With co-composer and performer Helga Davis, Nova created a four screen film entitled “Ocean Body,” along with director Mark DeChiazza, which premiered at The Momentary in August 2021, shortly followed by the premiere of “Infinite Movement,” her baroque masque for a 100 musicians, set to text by artist Matthew Ritchie, which premiered at The University of North Texas in November 2021.
Many artists have sought out Nova’s unique vocal work, including David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, The Decemberists, Steve Mackey, David Lang, So Percussion, Justin Vernon, Sufjan Stevens, and Tunde Olaniran, as well as Matthew Barney with Jonathan Bepler. Her singing will be featured on “The Blue Hour” via Nonesuch Records with the string orchestra A Far Cry and co-composers Rachel Grimes, Angélica Negrón, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Caroline Shaw.
Nova is a Kresge Arts fellow, a Carolina Performing Arts Creative Futures fellow, a Knights Grant recipient, a United States Artists fellow, and a New Music USA 2022 recipient.
