Ricky Ian Gor­don was born in Ocean­side, New York, and was raised on Long Island. After study­ing piano, com­po­si­tion, and act­ing at Carnegie Mel­lon Uni­ver­si­ty, he set­tled in New York City, where he quick­ly emerged as a lead­ing writer of vocal music that spans art song, opera, and musi­cal the­ater. His songs have been per­formed and record­ed by Renée Flem­ing, Dawn Upshaw, Nathan Gunn, Judy Collins, Kel­li O’Hara, Audra McDon­ald, Kristin Chenoweth, and many oth­ers. His works include Orpheus and Euridice, Morn­ing Star, The Grapes of Wrath, 27, Green Sneak­ers for Bari­tone, String Quar­tet, Emp­ty Chair and Piano, The Gar­den of the Finzi-Con­ti­nis, Ellen West, and Inti­mate Appar­el.