|
Biography
Daniel Burwasser, born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is an American composer, percussionist, and teacher. The grandson of opera singer Leo Burwasser, Burwasser has been writing and playing music since the age of 5. Originally a student of the piano, he eventually progressed to other forms of percussion, including drum set and orchestral percussion. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University, and then went on to receive his Master of Arts degree from Rutgers University and his Ph.D. in Music Composition. During that time he studied with many of the music world's leading contemporary composers including Robert Moevs, Charles Wuorinen, Noel DaCosta, David Olan and David Del Tredici. This myriad of influences can be heard in the diversity of Burwasser's own works. He has received grants from The American Music Center and Meet the Composer.
Critics have described Burwasser's music as highly communicative, emotionally charged, actively engaging, refreshingly lyrical, and displaying a fine sense of balance and proportion. His works have been performed throughout the United States as well as in South Korea, Armenia, Slovakia, and Russia. He is known as the composer of works such as Flux, recorded by The Concordia Orchestra, Marin Alsop conductor; Catching Fireflies, recorded by The Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz conductor, and A Well Traveled Road recorded by the Slovak Radio Orchestra, Robert Stankovsky, conductor. Other works include Whirlwind for woodwind quintet which was recorded by the Arcadian Winds and released on Navona Records. Puck's Game has been recorded by the Sirius Quartet and released on Navona on an album entitled, Playing on the Edge 2. This album received a Global Music Award Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the string quartet category in 2020.
Burwasser has recently received a flurry of commissions including a work for bassoonist extraordinaire, Mark Ortwein for Breaking and Entering, a work which also features electronics. He has also received a commission from oboist, Elizabeth Knott for Kaleidoscope, a work for cello and oboe. Burwasser's most recent work, False Awakening, was commissioned by the Kalliope Reed Quintet and was premiered in Cambridge, MA on July 25, 2021. All three commissioned works are slated to be recorded and released in 2021 and 2022.
In addition to these commissions, three of Burwasser's works, Groove Moves for percussion octet, Snapshots for solo snare drum, and Grooves and Riffs for tuba, french horn and drum set will be featured in a new recording by percussionist Zach Paris on Baldwin Records in July, 2022. Another of Burwasser's recent works, Modus Operandi, was given its world premiere on December 15, 2021 by the Jackson Heights Orchestra, Patricia Glunt, musical director and conductor. Puck's Game will also be performed by the Sirius Quartet on January 12, 2022 at Weill Recital Hall in New York. Burwasser's latest commission is for a new work for string orchestra, Prelude and Dance for high school groups spearheaded by orchestra directors from Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Burwasser's works are published by Imagine Music Publishing and Ensemble Publications. They can also be purchased on Sheet Music Plus. Burwasser currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at Hunter College, CUNY, and is on the artist roster of Polyphony Artist Management.
There are no productions for this artist in the Season Schedule of Performances which currently only dates back to 1991.
|
Artist Information
All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below. Title Information Form Artist Information Form
|