THE LIVING COMPOSERS PROJECT  

Omar Daniel

(b. 1960).

Canadian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and vocal works that have been performed in North America and elsewhere.

Mr. Daniel studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto, where he earned his DMus.

Among his honours are the Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music from the Canada Council for the Arts (1997, for Zwei Lieder nach Rilke) and awards in the competition for young composers of the CBC, the competition for young composers of SOCAN and the Toronto International Guitar Festival. He later received the K. M. Hunter Artists Award for classical music (2007, for his œuvre). His music has been performed in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK, and the USA. He has received commissions from the CBC, the ensemble Continuum, flutist Robert Cram, the Elora Festival/Festival of the Sound in Ontario, the Esprit Orchestra in Toronto, guitarist Rachel Gauk, the Gryphon Trio, the Guelph Spring Festival in Ontario, the Hannaford Street Silver Band, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, New Music Concerts in Toronto, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver New Music, and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

He is also active in other positions. As a producer, he has primarily collaborated with the label Marquis Classics.

He has taught as Assistant Professor of Composition at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario since 2000, where he also serves as director of the Composition, Electroacoustic Research and Performance Facility.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: odaniel@uwo.ca

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

Lisa (mini-opera), 2002

Via Cruxis (opera with preludium and 14 stations, text by Martin Luther), soprano, keyboard instruments (1 player), 2004

The Shadow (opera, libretto by Alex Poch-Goldin), 2006–07

ORCHESTRAL:

Masque of the Red Death, violin obbligato, minimum 18 strings, 1989

Black Dogs, large orchestra, 1993

Glauben Sie, es wird sich aufklären?, 1993

For R., A. and P. J. (concerto), guitar, small orchestra (8 winds, 4 brass, strings), 1995

Lacrymosa, 1995

Strategies against Architecture, Book III, large orchestra, 1996

The Mechanical Advantage (concerto), percussion, brass band, 1996 (also version for percussion, orchestra, 1998)

Murder Ballads (concerto), accordion, orchestra, 1996–97

Double Concerto, violin, cello, orchestra, 1997

Elegies (concerto), guitar, small orchestra, 1998

Only the Eagle Flies the Storm, guitar, minimum 13 strings, 1999 (version of work for guitar, string quartet)

Concerto for Orchestra, large orchestra, 2000

Trope, 2000

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Momentum, guitar, 1986

Changes, piano, percussion, 1987

Desert Heaven, guitar, fixed media ad libitum, live electronics ad libitum, 1989

Stone Gazes upon Stone Ghosts, flute, clarinet, French horn, guitar, violin, viola, cello, electronic organ, percussion, 1989

Three Chambers, clarinet, piano, 1991

Only the Eagle Flies the Storm, guitar, string quartet, 1991 (also version for guitar, minimum 13 strings)

Dreams of the Panther, flute, clarinet, cello, 1991, revised 2002

Good Machine, piano, 4 percussion, 1992

Piangiamo quel crudel basciare, guitar, 1992

Nocturne, guitar, viola, cello, 1994

Tientos, guitar, 1994

Strategies against Architecture, Book I, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, 2 percussion, 1995

After the Panorama, guitar, 1995

Strategies against Architecture, Book II, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, 1994–96

Sextet, harp, double bass, 2 accordions, 2 percussion, 1998–99

Piano Trio, violin, cello, piano, 1999

Wild Honey (sonata), violin, piano, 2000–01

El Corazón y el tigre, percussion, ensemble (harp, 2 violins, viola, cello), 2001

The Flaying of Marsyas, violin, electrodes (suspended on an upside-down person in a metal cage), 2001

Quintet, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 2003

Annunciation, string quartet, live electronics, 2006

CHORAL:

Love Songs (texts by Pablo Neruda, Rainer Maria Rilke, Carlo Gesualdo), mixed chorus, clarinet, string quartet, 1998–99

VOCAL:

...The Stars Would Have Me Weep, baritone, piano, 1987

Four Electronic Arias from Shadows of Angels, soprano, amplified flute, electric guitar, piano, 1990

My Angel (text by the composer), soprano, guitar, 1991

Zwei Lieder nach Rilke, soprano, alto flute, English horn, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 1996

Das Buch der Bilder, soprano, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 1999

All Night I Travel You (text by Anne Michaels), soprano, bass clarinet, trumpet, piano, Hammond organ, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2000

Jacob's Ladder, mezzo-soprano, orchestra, 2000

Love-God-Murder (texts from gospels from the southern USA, prison songs), mezzo-soprano, ensemble, 2001

The Growth of Music and the Invention of Storytelling (text by Michael Redhill), male speaker, violin, cello, piano, 2002

PIANO:

Surfacing, 1988, revised 1991

DISCOGRAPHY

After the Panorama. Rachel Gauk, guitar (Marquis Classics: MAR 191)

Tientos; My Angel; Piangiamo quel crudel basciare; Only the Eagle Flies the Storm (original version). Monica Whicher, soprano; Rachel Gauk, guitar; Penderecki String Quartet (Marquis Classics: MAR 209)

Strategies against Architecture, Book II. Lark Popov, George Vona, pianos; Salvador Ferreras, Beverley Johnston, percussion (Novadisc: ND 0199-CDE)

The Mechanical Advantage (original version). Beverley Johnston, percussion; Bramwell Tovey/Hannaford Street Silver Band (Opening Day Recordings: ODR 9319)