Categories
20th Century Contemporary American

MOORE, Dorothy Rudd

Black and white headshot of Moore
Photo credit: American Composers Alliance

Born in New Castle, DE, June 4, 1940
Died in New York, NY, March 30, 2022

  • Dorothy Rudd Moore knew from a young age that she wanted to compose, a passion her family supported. Moore graduated from Howard University in 1963 and soon after received a fellowship to study with Nadia Boulanger in France.
  • As a composer, Moore wrote works for chamber ensemble, piano, and orchestra, though she preferred writing for voice and committed to setting texts by Black poets (she was herself a singer).
  • In addition to composing, Moore taught at several New York institutions throughout her career, including the Harlem School of the Arts, New York University, and Bronx Community College.
  • In 1968, Moore co-founded the Society of Black Composers alongside her husband, cellist Kermit Moore.1

Learn More
Short bio via American Composers Alliance

Sources

  1. Doris Evans McGinty, “Moore, Dorothy Rudd.” Grove Music Online (2023), accessed September 22, 2026, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000042702.

Pieces