Damien Geter


Damien Geter is an American composer, bass-baritone, and conductor. He is the Music Director of Portland Opera and the Composer-in-Residence for the Richmond Symphony. Geter is known for such large-scale classical works as An African American Requiem and the operas American Apollo and Loving v. Virginia.

Early life and education

Geter was born in Petersburg, Virginia, and raised in Chesterfield County, Virginia. He grew up in a musical family; his mother and grandmother were active in church music, which influenced his early musical development. He attended Matoaca High School.
Geter earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Old Dominion University in 2002, where he originally studied trumpet before shifting his focus to voice and conducting. He subsequently earned a Master of Music in Conducting from Indiana State University in 2004. Following his education, Geter worked as a teacher for 15 years, holding positions at University High School in Indiana and the Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon, before transitioning to a full-time career in performance and composition.

Career

Composition

Geter’s compositions have received acclaim for their fusion of classical forms with styles from the Black diaspora.
His choral-orchestral work, An African American Requiem, premiered in May 2022. Commissioned by the Resonance Ensemble, the work is a setting of the traditional Latin Requiem mass integrated with spirituals and texts related to racial violence in the United States, including the last words of Eric Garner and a speech by Ida B. Wells. The Washington Post reviewed the East Coast premiere at the Kennedy Center, describing the work as a "monumental achievement" and noting that Geter "takes full advantage of the wide-open emotional space offered by the form."
In July 2024, Geter's full-length opera American Apollo premiered at Des Moines Metro Opera. With a libretto by Lila Palmer, the opera explores the relationship between the painter John Singer Sargent and his Black model, Thomas McKeller. Opera Today praised the score as "invigoratingly fresh" and "emotionally satisfying."
In April 2025, Virginia Opera and the Richmond Symphony premiered Geter's opera Loving v. Virginia, based on the landmark Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia regarding interracial marriage. The work was commissioned for the 50th anniversary of Virginia Opera.
Geter’s other significant commissions include Holy Ground for the Glimmerglass Festival; The Justice Symphony, commissioned by the University of Michigan and The Washington Chorus; and the song cycle Cotton, commissioned by Lyric Fest and premiered at the Kennedy Center.

Voice

As a bass-baritone, Geter has performed with major American opera companies. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the 2019–20 season as the Undertaker in Porgy and Bess. He has appeared with Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, and Eugene Opera.

Leadership

Geter has served as the Artistic Advisor for the Resonance Ensemble in Portland, Oregon. In August 2025, he was appointed Music Director of Portland Opera, having previously served as interim Music Director and co-artistic advisor since 2022. He is also the Composer-in-Residence for the Richmond Symphony through the 2025–2026 season.

Musical style

Critics have noted Geter's ability to merge diverse musical traditions. The Washington Post critic Michael Andor Brodeur has summarized Geter's musical impact as "major." Opera Today described his sound palette as having a "distinct voice" that is "invigoratingly fresh." His vocal writing is frequently cited for its accessibility and emotional directness, utilizing his own experience as a singer to inform his compositions for voice.

Works (Selected)

; Opera
  • Holy Ground – Premiered at Glimmerglass Festival
  • American Apollo – Premiered at Des Moines Metro Opera
  • Loving v. Virginia – Co-commissioned by Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony
; Orchestral and Choral
  • An African American Requiem – For orchestra, choir, and soloists
  • The Justice Symphony – Commissioned by the University of Michigan and The Washington Chorus
  • Sinfonia Americana – Commissioned by the Richmond Symphony
; Chamber and Vocal
  • Cotton – Song cycle for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and piano
  • Neo-Soul – String Quartet
  • Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow – Commissioned by The Washington Chorus

    Awards and honors

  • 2025: Honorary Patron of Letters Degree, Library of Virginia. This is the library's highest honor, recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts and humanities.
  • 2025: Honoree, Strong Men & Women in Virginia History, presented by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia.