ABOUT
Global Music Awards silver medalist Daniel Burwasser is an American composer, percussionist and teacher. Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Burwasser has been writing and playing music since the age of five. 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 from the City University of New York. 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.
Burwasser released his first solo album, Flights of Imagination, on April 14, 2023. This compilation, which features all of his Parma/Navona works, was awarded the Global Music Awards silver medal for composition and contemporary classical music and has received critical acclaim in Gramophone, Fanfare and Absolute Sound. Also, be sure to read: THE INSIDE STORY: DANIEL BURWASSER and FLIGHTS OF IMAGINATION HERE.
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 recorded works include Whirlwind for woodwind quintet by the Arcadian Winds and released on Navona Records. Puck's Game recorded by the Sirius Quartet was also released on Navona on an album entitled, Playing on the Edge 2. This album received a Global Music Award Silver Medal nomination for Outstanding Achievement in the string quartet category in 2020. Check out The Inside Story: Daniel Burwasser and PLAYING ON THE EDGE 2 here.
Burwasser has received numerous commissions including several works for the Downtown Chamber Players, electric violist Martha Mooke, Mark Ortwein, Elizabeth Knott, the Kalliope Reed Quintet, and the Idaho Falls, Idaho school district. His recent rock-infused work, Triumvirate, for bassoon, piano and drum set received its world premiere on March 4, 2024 at the University of Indianapolis.
In addition to these performances and commissions, four of Burwasser's percussion-featured works, Rotations for marimba solo, Groove Moves for percussion octet, Snapshots for solo snare drum, and Grooves and Riffs for tuba, french horn and drum set are featured in a recording called Snapshots by percussionist Zach Paris on Terra Voce Records. Another one of Burwasser's works, Breaking and Entering, for solo electrified bassoon is also featured on a brand new release from multi-instrumentalist Mark Ortwein on Terra Voce Records called Stretching Boundaries. False Awakening was also just released on the debut album of The Kalliope Reed Quintet called Amaru on Terra Voce Records.
In 2024, Burwasser also released two additional solo albums, a solo piano album called 8 for 88, and an album of percussion works, Percussion Music, both distributed by CD Baby. Both of these albums are available on all major streaming and downloading platforms.
Burwasser's works are published by Universal Edition, Imagine Music and Ensemble Publications. They can also be purchased on Sheet Music Plus and Sheet Music Direct. Burwasser currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at Hunter College and Queens College, CUNY.
You can also watch and listen to many of Burwasser's latest works on his YouTube channel. Please hit the SUBSCRIBE button!
Burwasser released his first solo album, Flights of Imagination, on April 14, 2023. This compilation, which features all of his Parma/Navona works, was awarded the Global Music Awards silver medal for composition and contemporary classical music and has received critical acclaim in Gramophone, Fanfare and Absolute Sound. Also, be sure to read: THE INSIDE STORY: DANIEL BURWASSER and FLIGHTS OF IMAGINATION HERE.
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 recorded works include Whirlwind for woodwind quintet by the Arcadian Winds and released on Navona Records. Puck's Game recorded by the Sirius Quartet was also released on Navona on an album entitled, Playing on the Edge 2. This album received a Global Music Award Silver Medal nomination for Outstanding Achievement in the string quartet category in 2020. Check out The Inside Story: Daniel Burwasser and PLAYING ON THE EDGE 2 here.
Burwasser has received numerous commissions including several works for the Downtown Chamber Players, electric violist Martha Mooke, Mark Ortwein, Elizabeth Knott, the Kalliope Reed Quintet, and the Idaho Falls, Idaho school district. His recent rock-infused work, Triumvirate, for bassoon, piano and drum set received its world premiere on March 4, 2024 at the University of Indianapolis.
In addition to these performances and commissions, four of Burwasser's percussion-featured works, Rotations for marimba solo, Groove Moves for percussion octet, Snapshots for solo snare drum, and Grooves and Riffs for tuba, french horn and drum set are featured in a recording called Snapshots by percussionist Zach Paris on Terra Voce Records. Another one of Burwasser's works, Breaking and Entering, for solo electrified bassoon is also featured on a brand new release from multi-instrumentalist Mark Ortwein on Terra Voce Records called Stretching Boundaries. False Awakening was also just released on the debut album of The Kalliope Reed Quintet called Amaru on Terra Voce Records.
In 2024, Burwasser also released two additional solo albums, a solo piano album called 8 for 88, and an album of percussion works, Percussion Music, both distributed by CD Baby. Both of these albums are available on all major streaming and downloading platforms.
Burwasser's works are published by Universal Edition, Imagine Music and Ensemble Publications. They can also be purchased on Sheet Music Plus and Sheet Music Direct. Burwasser currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Music at Hunter College and Queens College, CUNY.
You can also watch and listen to many of Burwasser's latest works on his YouTube channel. Please hit the SUBSCRIBE button!