Composer Dan Maske holds BA and MM degrees in music theory/composition from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a DMA in music composition from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His works include a variety of chamber, symphonic, and some electronic compositions which have been performed around the world. He has received commissions from artists such as the Skyline Brass, the Umpqua Chamber Orchestra (Oregon), the St. Norbert College Wind Ensemble, the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra - Junior Wind Ensemble, the UWM Youth Wind Ensemble, and the UW-LaCrosse Symphony Orchestra, among others. See the “Recordings” blog on this site for info on his recorded compositions and descriptions of the works featured in the player.
Dan is also a founding member of the chamber rock ensemble Far Corner (far-corner.com), a quartet in which he serves as composer and keyboardist. The group’s recordings have been released on the Cuneiform Records label.
Maske has taught private lessons in composition, piano, trumpet, and drumset, and has been a classroom teacher of subjects such as music theory, music technology, orchestration, and progressive rock. He is currently a faculty member of Cardinal Stritch University (www.stritch.edu), a liberal arts college in Milwaukee, WI where he teaches music composition. In addition, he performs on piano, trumpet, and drumset in a variety of musical styles, and is also an editor and author for Hal Leonard Corporation (halleonard.com), the world’s largest music publisher. His instructional book Progressive Rock Keyboard is available from local and online retails everywhere. Visit the Hal Leonard web site for more info, sample pages, and sound samples from the accompanying CD.
WORKS
WIND AND WEAPONRY (2009) for saxophone orchestra and drumset. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: May 22, 2009 by the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra, Rhett Bender, Conductor, featuring Terry Longshore, percussion.
METAL AND STONE (2009) for symphony orchestra. Duration: 7:30. Premiere: May 3, 2009 by the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra, Michael Alexander, conductor.
FROM THE RIVER TO THE SKIES (2008) for symphony orchestra. Duration: 14:00. Premiere: May, 2008, by the UW-Lacrosse Symphony Orchestra, Enaldo A Oliveira, conductor, Lacrosee, WI.
CROSSWORLD (2006) for concert band (Grade 4). Duration: 12:00. Premiere: May, 2006, by the Menomonee Falls North Junior High School Band, John Woger, conductor, Menomonee Falls, WI.
AND NONE LEADS OUT (2004) for flute, bassoon, violin, cello, piano, and baritone voice. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: December 4, 2004 by L’Ensemble Portique, First Unitarian Meeting House, Madison, WI.
THE SERPENT OF ROCK LAKE (2003) for string orchestra and drumset (grade
3). Duration: 5:00. Premiere: 2003 by the Lake Mills High School Orchestra,
Angela Schmidt, conductor, Lake Mills, WI.
THE GIANT OF VERNON MARSH (2002) for concert band. Duration: 4:00. Premiere: May 27, 2003 at Parkview Middle School, Mukwonago, WI, by the Parkview Middle School Band, Carrie West, conductor.
SUPERIOR SHORES (2002) for concert band. Duration: 7:00. Premiere: April, 2003 by the Chassell High School Band, Joan Petrelius, conductor.
THE SHADOW HOUR (2001) for violin, viola, cello, and narrator. Duration:
10:00. Premiere: April, 2002 by the Oakwood Chamber Players, Madison, WI.
STORMING THE CASTLE (2001) for concert band. Duration: 12:00. Premiere: April 21, 2002 in the Bader Concert Hall, Milwaukee, WI by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Youth Wind Ensemble I, Thomas Dvorak, conductor.
ACROSS THE FROZEN NORTH (2001) for concert band. Duration: 6:30. Premiere: January 12, 2002 at Xavier High School, Appleton WI for the Valley Eight Honors Band Festival, Frederick Schmidt, conductor.
FIVE PIANO PIECES (2001). Duration: 16:00. Premiere: November 14, 2002,
by Mary Tollefson, Lacrosse WI.
VISIONS (2000) for flute, clarinet, cello, and piano. Duration: 4:00. Premiere: April, 2000 by Heather Schmidt, Frederick Schmidt, Angela Schmidt, and Dan Maske, Morphy Recital Hall, Madison, WI.
THE KNIGHTS' ARRIVAL (1999) a fanfare for wind ensemble. Duration: 3:00. Premiere: October 28, 1999 by the St. Norbert College Wind Ensemble, Frederick Schmidt, conductor. Performed at the Wisconsin Music Educators Association Convention, Madison, WI.
RUMORS (1999) for oboe, horn in F and cello. Duration: 9:00. Premiere: May 22, 1999 by the Oakwood Chamber Players, at Madison Civic Center for the Wisconsin Alliance for Composers' First Listen Concert, Madison, WI.
MISSION (1999) for string orchestra (grade 4). Duration: 6:00. Premiere: March 12, 1999 by the Lake Mills High School Orchestra, Angela Schmidt, conductor.
OASIS (1999) for chamber ensemble/chamber orchestra Duration: 8:00. Premiere: April 19, 1999 by the University of Wisconsin Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.
FORCE OF NATURE (1999) for symphony orchestra. Duration: 9:00. Premiere: May, 2004 by the Winona State University Symphony Orchestra, Paul Vance, conductor, Winona, MN.
TERRITORIES (1998) for concert band. Commissioned by Thomas Dvorak for the Junior Wind Ensemble of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra in gratitude for his ten years as conductor. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: October 29. 1998 at the WMEA Music Conference, Madison Marriott West Hotel, Madison WI, Thomas Dvorak, conductor.
THE JAUNT (1998) a short work for solo piano. Duration: 2:00. Premiere: April 27, 1998, Old Music Hall, Madison, WI.
SINGERS AT TWILIGHT (1998) for SATB chorus and piano. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: April 1, 2001, Beverly Taylor, conductor, Morphy Recital Hall, Madison, WI.
BELZERO (1997) for flute/piccolo, Bb clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and drum set. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: April 24, 1998 by the UW-Madison Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, Old Music Hall, Madison.
CONUNDRUM (1997) for oboe, trumpet, horn, violin, and cello. Duration: 7:00. Premiere: November 11, 1997 by the UW Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, Morphy Recital Hall, Madison, WI.
TRUMPETS (1997) for trumpet and tape/electronics. Duration: 7:00. Premiere: May 9, 1997, Graduate Composition Recital, UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
THE UNCHARTED (1997) for woodwind quintet. Duration: 7:00. Premiere: May 9, 1997, Graduate Composition Recital, UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
THE OUTING (1996) for cello and piano. Duration: 13:00. Premiere: April 29, 1997, at the UWM Composers Concert, UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall by Angela Schmidt and Dan Maske.
THE CASCADES - Concerto for Brass Quintet and Chamber Orchestra (1996) Duration: 11:00. Premiere: March 1, 1997 by the Umpqua Chamber Orchestra and the Skyline Brass, Eric DeLora conductor at Jacoby Auditorium, Roseburg, Oregon. Premiere:Wind ensemble version - November 2, 1997, by the St. Norbert College Wind Ensemble and the Skyline Brass, Frederick Schmidt, conductor, at the St. Norbert College Walter Theater. Wind Ensemble arrangement available.
BEGINNINGS OF THE SON (1996) for eight brass instruments and percussion. Duration: 8:00. Premiere: November 24, 1996 at the Encounters 20/21 Sacred Meets Secular Music Festival - UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
MYTH & LEGEND (1996) for symphony Orchestra. Duration: 11:00. Premiere: April 26, 1997 at St. Roberts Church by the UWM Symphony Orchestra, Margery Deutsch conductor.
CAGED (1995) for brass quintet. Duration: 10:00. Premiere: May 19, 1996, by The Skyline Brass at Jacoby Auditorium, Roseburg, Oregon.
EPIC TALE - SYMPHONY No. 1 (1994) for symphonic band. Duration: 17:00. Premiere: April 23, 1995 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts - Milwaukee. Performed by the UWM Symphony Band, Thomas Dvorak conductor.
ANOMALIES (1995) for piano with tape accompaniment. Duration: 6:00. Premiere: Full tape realization on April 13, 1995 at the UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
TEMPORAL GAMES - STRING QUARTET No. 1 (1995). Duration: 13:00. Premiere: March 15, 1996 for the Wisconsin Alliance for Composers Annual Conference at the UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall by the Lakeside String Quartet.
THE HUNT OF CANIS LUPUS (1995) for live synthesizers, percussion, and three trumpets. Duration: 7:00. Premiere: April 26, 1995 and April 28, 1995 at the UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
TIME DOOR (1994) for tape/electronics. Duration: 6:00 Premiere: May 9, 1997, Graduate composition recital at the UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
FAR CORNER (1994) for Bb soprano saxophone (or Bb clarinet) and piano. Duration: 7:00 Premiere: April 21, 1995 at the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 6 Meeting. Performed by John Bleuel and Linda Li-Bleuel.
ESCAPE (1993) for string quartet, piano, and marimba. Duration: 6:00. Premiere: November, 1993 at the UWM Fine Arts Recital Hall.
Hi Dan! Thanks so much for the add - the songs sound GREAT!!! Glad to know you're still doing well and composing fantastic pieces. Hope you enjoyed my new tunes!! ;)
Great compositions in the player. Especially like Across the Frozen North and Scenes (that the clip of Fiction rocks goes without saying). Good luck with the May premiere of your new piece.
