awards & Honors

Dave Ragland is a four-time EMMY nominated composer, vocalist, pianist, and conductor. Hailed as “über-talented” by The Nashville Scene, Ragland was named the First Place Winner of The Atlanta Opera’s 96-Hour  Opera Composition Competition. He also received the 2022 Adams-Owens Composition Award by the  African-American Art Song Alliance. Ragland has received the 2021 American Prize in Composition, two Telly Awards, and two Midsouth Regional EMMY nominations for his work as composer and audio  engineer of Nashville Opera’s ONE VOTE WON -an opera commemorating the centennial of Women's Suffrage. 

Ragland is currently collaborating with Damon Davis, Ted  Hearne, Alarm Will Sound, and Inversion Vocal Ensemble on Davis’ concept opera Ligeia Mare. Ragland collaborated with librettist Mary McCallum to create the children’s opera CHARLIE AND THE WOLF for the Cedar Rapids Opera, and the educational opera BEATRICE for Portland Opera (Oregon) 

Dave Ragland arranged "Lift Every Voice and Sing" for GRAMMY-nominated opera singer Lawrence Brownlee for "Concert for Inauguration Day" presented by Washington National Opera. -  Ragland collaborated with librettist Mary McCallum to create the children’s opera Charlie and the Wolf for the Cedar Rapids Opera, and the educational opera Beatrice for Oregon’s Portland Opera 

Dave, in collaboration with Inversion Vocal Ensemble, shackled feet DANCE, and Diaspora Orchestra, debuted his opera “STEAL AWAY” as Artist-in-Residence for OZ Arts. Additional compositional credits include Nashville Symphony, Nashville Ballet, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, chatterbird, Intersection Contemporary Ensemble, and GRAMMY-nominated ALIAS Chamber Ensemble.

Dave Ragland is the 2020 GRADY-RAYAM Negro Spirituals Foundation Composer-in Residence. Dave is a member of the inaugural cohort of composers for the National Teachers of Singing (NATS) Mentoring Program. From 2019-2022, Dave served as Chorusmaster for Nashville Symphony's "Let Freedom Sing"

Dave is the Artistic Director of Inversion Vocal Ensemble, a regionally touring vocal collective that has performed with Brandi Carlile, GRAMMY-nominee Ruby Amanfu, Marcus Hummon, and Levi Hummon. Inversion has also shared the stage with Rivers Rutherford, The Fairfield Four, and Tanya Tucker. Previous engagements with Inversion include The National Civil Rights Museum, The National Museum of African-American Music, The Ryman Auditorium, Tennessee Arts Academy, Cheekwood, Nashville Symphony’s Free Day of Music and Let Freedom Sing in 2019. 

Dave was a Composer Mentor for 91Classical's inaugural Student Composer Fellowship. Previous performance experience includes William Warfield, Louise Mandrell, and the Kennedy Center Honors with Jennifer Hudson. Dave is currently serves on the board of American Choral Directors Association, Tennessee Chapter. Dave is a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.