Nashville composer Dave Ragland receives FY26 IAF

By Jared Morrison, Director of Performing Arts –

The Tennessee Arts Commission has awarded a fiscal year 2026 Individual Artist Fellowship in music to Nashville-based composer, vocalist, pianist and conductor Dave Ragland.

Ragland’s winning submissions, his original compositions “African Queens” and “Precatio,” showcase his ability to weave cultural storytelling, spirituality and rhythmic vitality into compelling music. “African Queens” is a multi-movement vocal work honoring the legacies of African female rulers. “Precatio,” an art song in Latin, guides the listener through a sacred journey that begins in quiet reflection, bursts into a rhythmic celebration and closes in reverent invocation.

An adjudicator described Ragland’s works as “evocative and thoughtful,” praising their “energy and depth.”

A four-time Emmy-nominated artist, Ragland draws inspiration from the sounds of his Chattanooga upbringing, the lyrical beauty of Handel and Schubert, the swing of Oscar Peterson and the power of Leontyne Price. His compositions have been performed nationally by the Houston Grand Opera, Portland Opera, LA Opera and Washington National Opera. Locally, he has created works such as “One Vote Won” for the Nashville Opera and “Steal Away” for OZ Arts Nashville.

In addition to his creative work, Ragland is the artistic director of the Inversion Vocal Ensemble, a mentor for emerging composers and an advocate for the preservation and reinvention of the Negro spiritual tradition. The fellowship recognizes his artistic achievement and contributions to the cultural landscape of Tennessee.