Norman studied composition at the
University of Southern California's
Thornton School of Music and
Yale School of Music. Much of his music is influenced by architecture and visual arts, in which he has had a lifelong interest. He was composer-in-residence for the Boston Modern Orchestra Project from 2011 to 2013. Among his most notable works are the 2010 string trio
The Companion Guide to Rome, the 2015 fantasy for piano and orchestra
Split, the 2017 opera
A Trip to the Moon, and the 2018 orchestral work
Sustain. His composition
The Companion Guide to Rome (inspired by the guidebook of the same name written by
Georgina Masson) was a runner-up for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music. A recording of
Play by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project was named one of the best classical music recordings of 2015 by David Allen of
The New York Times and nominated for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Norman won the 2017 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for
Play, which the music writer Will Robin called "the best orchestral work that the 21st century has seen thus far". In reference to the prize, Norman said in an interview with
NPR: In 2018, the
Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned Norman to write
Sustain for the beginning of their centennial season. Norman was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Music for the work. In 2020, it won him a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic won the
Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance for their 2019 recording of the piece. He was a
MacDowell Fellow in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014; and served as
Carnegie Hall's Debs Composer's Chair for the 2020–2021 season. Norman is currently on the composition faculty of the Juilliard School. He was an assistant professor of composition at the
USC Thornton School of Music from 2013 to 2020, returning as an associate professor in 2023. He is also program director of the Nancy and Barry Sanders Youth Composer program at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His works are published by Schott Music. == List of compositions ==