Daniel Dorff (born March 7, 1956) is an American classical musician and classical composer.

Daniel J. Dorff
Born (1956-03-07) March 7, 1956 (age 67)
New Rochelle, New York
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCornell University; University of Pennsylvania
Occupation(s)Composer; musician
Known forComposing classical music
Websitewww.danieldorff.com

Biography and career

Dorff was born in New Rochelle, New York, and grew up in Flower Hill, New York, graduating from Roslyn High School.[1][2][3][4]

Dorff graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University and earned his master's degree in composition from the University of Pennsylvania, studying composition with George Crumb, George Rochberg, Karel Husa, Henry Brant, Ralph Shapey, Elie Siegmeister, and Richard Wernick.[4][5][6] Dorff served from 1996 through 2015 as composer-in-residence for Symphony in C (formerly The Haddonfield Symphony) in Camden, New Jersey (USA).[7][8] His works have been commissioned by such ensembles as the Philadelphia Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra, and performed by groups and individuals including the Baltimore Symphony, Eastman Wind Ensemble, flutists and clarinetists of the Chicago Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic, pianist Marc-André Hamelin, and flutists Jean-Pierre Rampal, Jasmine Choi, Denis Bouriakov, and frequent collaborator Cindy Anne Broz. He has also created arrangements for Sir James Galway[9] and pop musicians Keith Emerson[10] and Lisa Loeb.

Dorff has written many frequently-performed recital works for woodwinds, and music for orchestra, concert band, piano, chorus, and chamber ensembles, including often-neglected instruments such as contrabassoon, piccolo, and tenor saxophone – the best-known of which are Sonatine de Giverny and Flash!, both for piccolo and piano.[4] In addition to his compositional career, Dorff is a clarinetist and saxophonist and was bass clarinetist for the Haddonfield Symphony for 20 years prior to Alan Gilbert appointing him composer-in-residence. He frequently lectures on music engraving and notation, a subject in which he is expert. Dorff is currently vice president of publishing for music publisher Theodore Presser Company; his input has also been sought in the development of leading music notation software.

Works

Narrated works for young audiences

Dorff has taken a particular interest in exposing young people to classical music; many of his works are written for young audiences,[11] including Three Fun Fables, a setting for narrator and orchestra of familiar Aesop tales; Billy and the Carnival, a narrated guide to the instruments of the orchestra; Blast Off!, a travelog of a trip to outer space (the score to which was flown by NASA on the 100th mission of the Space Shuttle); and familiar stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Tortoise and the Hare, and Stone Soup: An Operatic Fable in One Delicious Act which has enjoyed well over 1000 performances.[4][11][12][13]

Selected chamber music

Some chamber pieces composed by Dorff include:[1][4]

Selected orchestral music

Some orchestral pieces composed by Dorff include:[4][6][14]

Discography

References

  1. ^ a b "Music by Daniel Dorff". danieldorff.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  2. ^ Gelder, Lawrence Van (1982-04-04). "THE ANSWER WAS: BE A COMPOSER (Published 1982)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  3. ^ Schwartz, Mitchell (November 2021). "Remembering the Roslyn–Flower Hill Elementary School" (PDF). www.villageflowerhill.org. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  4. ^ a b c d e f A Compact Disc Recording of Three Works for Flute by Daniel Dorff: "April Whirlwind", "Nocturne Caprice", and "9 Walks Down 7th Avenue." Rich, Angela Marie. Arizona State University. 2010. –Via ProQuest.
  5. ^ "Daniel Dorff bio article by Peter Burwasser, Fanfare Magazine". danieldorff.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  6. ^ a b "Daniel Dorff, Composer Weds Eiko Takahira". The New York Times. 1982-10-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  7. ^ "Artistic Staff | Symphony in C". Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  8. ^ "About | Symphony in C". Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  9. ^ http://www.presser.com/shop/kol-nidrei-36833.html[dead link]
  10. ^ "Piano Concerto No. 1: Keith Emerson, Keith Emerson, Keith Emerson, Daniel Dorff, Keith Emerson: 0680160101481: Amazon.com: Books". www.amazon.com.
  11. ^ a b Fruchter, Rena (1989-01-15). "MUSIC; Clarinet Quartet Focuses on the Young". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  12. ^ "MUSIC FOR CHILDREN'S CONCERTS by Daniel Dorff". danieldorff.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  13. ^ Eddins, Stephen. "Review: The Tortoise and the Hare & Other Tales". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  14. ^ "MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA by Daniel Dorff". danieldorff.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  15. ^ "Albany Records: Perennials". www.albanyrecords.com.
  16. ^ "CD Baby Music Store". store.cdbaby.com.
  17. ^ "Laurel Zucker - Virtuoso Flutist". www.laurelzucker.com. 14 August 2020.
  18. ^ "CD Baby Music Store". store.cdbaby.com.
  19. ^ a b "Daniel Dorff: The Tortoise and the Hare BRIDGE 9229". bridgerecords.com.
  20. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine". danieldorff.com.
  21. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine". danieldorff.com.
  22. ^ a b c d e "Albany Records: Perennials".
  23. ^ "Gift by Harmo Saxophone Quartet". itunes.apple.com. 24 December 2011.
  24. ^ a b \\\ https://www.amazon.com/PicCollage-Gudrun-Hinze/dp/B006W0YJH2/ref=sr_1_cc_4?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1468697377&sr=1-4-catcorr&keywords=gudrun+hinze
  25. ^ "Flash!". Amazon.
  26. ^ "CD Baby Music Store".
  27. ^ a b "Daniel Dorff: The Tortoise and the Hare BRIDGE 9229".
  28. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine".
  29. ^ "interclarinet - FARAO classics". Archived from the original on 2007-10-04.
  30. ^ "Gift by Harmo Saxophone Quartet". iTunes. 24 December 2011.
  31. ^ "Osland Saxophone Quartet - In the Land of Ephesus - Amazon.com Music". Amazon.
  32. ^ "Five Minutes for Earth – Azica Records Online". AllMusic.
  33. ^ "Pamela YoungbloodWind Song – Azica Records Online". Archived from the original on 2015-06-30. Retrieved 2016-07-16.
  34. ^ "Flute World — America's #1 flute specialty house since 1983". Archived from the original on 2015-06-30.
  35. ^ "Albany Records: Perennials". www.albanyrecords.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  36. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine". danieldorff.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  37. ^ "Harris-Coates Duo - CD Releases". Archived from the original on 2002-10-25.
  38. ^ "Facets by Cline / Cuestas Duo on iTunes". iTunes. 14 October 2016.
  39. ^ "Albany Records".
  40. ^ "Two Contras - Susan Nigro | Release Info". AllMusic.
  41. ^ "Take Wing sampler — Lois Bliss Herbine".
  42. ^ "Auricolae Children's Troupe: Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables | Catalogue".
  43. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine".
  44. ^ "Review of 2 all-Dorff CD's in July/August 2013 Fanfare Magazine".
  45. ^ "Albany Records: Chimera".

External links

Authority control databases
Categories