Daniel George Theaker (b. March 30, 1967 in
EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies...
,
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a
neoromanticIn North American classical music and European classical music, neoromanticism is a style identified by the extended tonality that flourished during the late Romantic era, as well as a frank expression of emotional sentiment equally evocative of the period...
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
,
conductorConducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles often have conductors.-Nomenclature:...
and woodwind instrumentalist. He is a self-described champion of the
bass oboeThe bass oboe or baritone oboe is a double reed instrument in the woodwind family. It is about twice the size of a regular oboe and sounds an octave lower; it has a deep, full tone not unlike that of its higher-pitched cousin, the English horn. The bass oboe is notated in the treble clef, sounding...
and
heckelphoneThe Heckelphone is a musical instrument invented by Wilhelm Heckel and his sons. Introduced in 1904, it is similar to the cor anglais .-General Characteristics:...
, and a practitioner of the "
Elastic scoringElastic scoring is a style of orchestration or music arrangement that was first used by the Australian composer Percy Grainger.This unique technique of orchestration is used to provide composers with the option of allowing a diverse group of voices or instrumentalists the ability to perform their...
"
orchestrationOrchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
techniques first conceived by
Percy GraingerGeorge Percy Grainger was an Australian-born composer, and pianist, who worked under the stage name of Percy Aldridge Grainger.-Early life and career :Percy Grainger was born in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria...
.
Mr. Theaker holds a
Bachelor of MusicBachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
(B.Mus.) from
Mount Allison UniversityMount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, where he studied
compositionMusical composition is:* an original piece of music* the structure of a musical piece* the process of creating a new piece of music- Musical compositions :...
with
Carleton ElliottCarleton Weir Elliott was a Canadian composer, theorist, choir conductor and music educator.-Biography:...
and conducting with James Mark. He has also taken masterclasses in Wind Ensemble conducting and direction from the esteemed North American conducting instructor Eugene Corporon.
Conducting is the transmission of impulse through gesture.
Daniel George Theaker (b. March 30, 1967 in
EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies...
,
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a
neoromanticIn North American classical music and European classical music, neoromanticism is a style identified by the extended tonality that flourished during the late Romantic era, as well as a frank expression of emotional sentiment equally evocative of the period...
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
,
conductorConducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands and other musical ensembles often have conductors.-Nomenclature:...
and woodwind instrumentalist. He is a self-described champion of the
bass oboeThe bass oboe or baritone oboe is a double reed instrument in the woodwind family. It is about twice the size of a regular oboe and sounds an octave lower; it has a deep, full tone not unlike that of its higher-pitched cousin, the English horn. The bass oboe is notated in the treble clef, sounding...
and
heckelphoneThe Heckelphone is a musical instrument invented by Wilhelm Heckel and his sons. Introduced in 1904, it is similar to the cor anglais .-General Characteristics:...
, and a practitioner of the "
Elastic scoringElastic scoring is a style of orchestration or music arrangement that was first used by the Australian composer Percy Grainger.This unique technique of orchestration is used to provide composers with the option of allowing a diverse group of voices or instrumentalists the ability to perform their...
"
orchestrationOrchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
techniques first conceived by
Percy GraingerGeorge Percy Grainger was an Australian-born composer, and pianist, who worked under the stage name of Percy Aldridge Grainger.-Early life and career :Percy Grainger was born in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria...
.
Biography
Mr. Theaker holds a
Bachelor of MusicBachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
(B.Mus.) from
Mount Allison UniversityMount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, where he studied
compositionMusical composition is:* an original piece of music* the structure of a musical piece* the process of creating a new piece of music- Musical compositions :...
with
Carleton ElliottCarleton Weir Elliott was a Canadian composer, theorist, choir conductor and music educator.-Biography:...
and conducting with James Mark. He has also taken masterclasses in Wind Ensemble conducting and direction from the esteemed North American conducting instructor Eugene Corporon. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Theaker was Principal
FluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind group. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and
PiccoloThe piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
with the
Regimental BandA military band is a group of personnel that perform musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instrument. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music...
of the
Governor General's Foot GuardsThe Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
. During this time, he also performed with the
Ceremonial GuardThe Ceremonial Guard is an ad hoc military unit in the Canadian Forces with elements drawn principally from two Primary Reserve regiments of Foot Guards: The Governor General's Foot Guards from Ottawa and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal...
and earned certificates in woodwind performance from the
Canadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
School of Music. It was here that he conducted a performance of Stravinsky's,
L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) and a performance of
Gustav HolstGustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets.Having studied at the Royal College of Music in London,...
's
Second Suite in FThe Second Suite in F for Military Band is Gustav Holst's second and last suite for band. Although performed less frequently than the First Suite in E-flat, it is still a staple of the band literature...
for Military Band.
His
flute quartetA flute quartet is a musical term for a type of chamber music group. They are normally found in two forms: those consisting of a flute, a violin, a viola and a cello; and those consisting of four flutes...
s are well known in the classical music flute community and his '
ScaleIn music, a scale is a group of musical notes collected in ascending and descending order, that provides material for or is used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical work including melody and/or harmony...
and
ArpeggioIn music, an arpeggio is Italian for broken chord where the notes are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously. This word comes from the italian word "arpeggiare" , which means "to play on a harp"...
' books for Woodwind and
BrassA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
instruments are also well known on the educational/conservatory music scene. He has also arranged
musicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound. Common elements of music are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
by
Glenn GouldGlenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the twentieth century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
and
Calixa LavalléeCalixa Lavallée, , born Calixte Lavallée, was a Quebecois musician who composed the music for the Canadian national anthem "O Canada".He was born at Verchères, Quebec...
.
Mr. Theaker currently resides in
MontréalMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
,
QuébecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada.
Influences
An ardent admirer of the music of
Alban BergAlban Maria Johannes Berg was an Austrian composer. He was a member of the Second Viennese School with Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, and produced compositions that combined Mahlerian Romanticism with a personal adaptation of Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique.-Life and work:Berg was born in...
, and of the original compositions written by the celebrated Canadian pianist
Glenn GouldGlenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the twentieth century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
, Daniel Theaker's music is influenced by the works of
Modest MussorgskyModest Petrovich Mussorgsky , one of the Russian composers known as the Five, was an innovator of Russian music in the romantic period...
,
Igor StravinskyIgor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, widely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential composers of 20th century music. He was a quintessentially cosmopolitan Russian who was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of...
,
Gustav HolstGustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets.Having studied at the Royal College of Music in London,...
, Aram Khatchaturian,
Percy GraingerGeorge Percy Grainger was an Australian-born composer, and pianist, who worked under the stage name of Percy Aldridge Grainger.-Early life and career :Percy Grainger was born in Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria...
, and
Philip GlassPhilip Morris Glass is an American music composer. He is considered one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .Although his music is often, though controversially, described as...
.
Brass/Woodwinds
- Three English Landscapes - Clarinet Duet No.1 Op. 7d (1996-1997)
- Three English Landscapes - Flute Duet No.1 Op. 7b (1996-1997)
- Portrait of Memory/Portraits of Imagined Memory - Quartet No.1, Op.11 for Tuba Quartet or Bassoon Quartet (1998/2002/3)
These works for
tubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
or
bassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 1800s, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band, and chamber music literature...
quartet are elastically scored for two
euphoniumThe euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
s and two tubas and for four bassoons or heckelphone, two bassoons and
contrabassoonThe contrabassoon also known as the double bassoon is a larger version of the bassoon sounding an octave lower. Its technique is similar to its smaller cousin, with a few notable differences.-The contrabassoon compared to the bassoon:...
.
Orchestral
- Elegy of Loss, Misery and Grief for Orchestra (2006)
- Flute Concerto
A flute concerto is a concerto for solo flute and instrumental ensemble, customarily the orchestra. Such works have been written from the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
No.1, Op.17b for FluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind group. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
and OrchestraAn orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
(2004-2006)
- Overture
Overture in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral or, occasionally, instrumental composition...
to the Beautiful Shoreline Op.14 (Concert Overture)
- Violin Concerto
A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
No.1, Op.17 for ViolinThe violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
and Orchestra (2004-2006)
Soloist with Piano
- Flute Concerto No.1, Op.17b (2004-2006) for Flute and Piano
- Violin Concerto No.1, Op.17 (2004-2006) for Violin and Piano
Strings
- Symmetry II for Violin and Violoncello (elastically scored - can be played by Violin solo or 'Cello solo). Written for the Microscore project.
Flute
- Flute Quartet No.1, Op.6 for four C flutes or two C flutes, alto
The alto flute is a type of Western concert flute, a musical instrument in the woodwind family. It is the next extension downward of the C flute after the flûte d'amour. It is characterized by its distinct, mellow tone in the lower portion of its range....
and bassThe bass flute is the bass member of the flute family. It is in the key of C, pitched one octave below the concert flute. Because of the length of its tube , it is usually made with a "J" shaped head joint, which brings the embouchure hole within reach of the player...
(1993)
- Flute Quartet No.2, Op.7 "Three English Landscapes" for four C flutes (1996)
- Flute Quartet No.3, "Rêves et Cauchemares" for four C flutes (1997)
Clarinet
- Clarinet Quartet
A clarinet choir is an instrumental ensemble consisting entirely of instruments from the clarinet family. Typically it will include E♭, B♭, alto, bass, and contra-alto or contrabass clarinets, although some pieces are scored for a smaller set of instruments....
No.1 for three B♭ clarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet...
s and bass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet. Bass clarinets in other keys, notably C and A, also exist, but are very rare...
(1998)
The majority of Mr. Theaker's music is published by
Mayfair Montgomery PublishingMayfair Montgomery Publishing is a North American music publishing firm.Located in the Toronto suburb of Markham, Ontario, Mayfair publishes the works of a number of Canadian composers some of whom are strong in the educational market...
of Toronto.
Musical Arrangements
- Sonata for Flute and Piano by Glenn Gould ISMN M-001-13338-8
- Pieces for String Trio by Glenn Gould ISMN M-001-13334-0
- Pieces for Woodwind Trio by Glenn Gould ISMN M-001-13335-7
These arrangements of Glenn Gould's music by Mr. Theaker are forthcoming from
Schott MusicSchott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
(Mainz, Germany).
Educational Materials
- Complete Scales and Arpeggios for Bassoon ISBN 0-921965-46-X
- Complete Scales and Arpeggios for the Flute (UPC 7-77535-02572-2)
- Complete Scales and Arpeggios for the Clarinet (Forthcoming)
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Flute (Volumes One ISBN 0-921965-38-9 & Two ISBN 0-921965-39-7)
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Clarinet (Volumes One ISBN 0-921965-37-0 & Two ISBN 0-921965-41-9)
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois", "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
ISBN 0-921965-40-0
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Alto Saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by the Belgian instrument designer in 1841 Adolphe Sax. The alto, with the tenor, is the most common size of saxophone...
& Tenor SaxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, is the most common type of saxophone. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble clef,...
ISBN 0-921965-42-7
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Trumpet
The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC...
ISBN 0-921965-17-6
- Scales and Arpeggios for the French Horn ISBN 0-921965-15-X
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
& Euphonium ISBN 0-921965-18-4
- Scales and Arpeggios for the Tuba ISBN 0-921965-13-3
See also
External links