Daniel McCarthy (b. 1955, Onekoma, Michigan) is a unique and fresh voice
among the myriad of composers vying for attention in the contemporary music scene. It abounds with rhythmic excitement,
harmonic and lyric richness, based in his musical roots which extends from opera, orchestra, band, jazz ensemble, rock, and
funk.
U.S.A.
Today describes his music as "intriguing, inviting, shimmering..." while The Cleveland Plain Dealer has written
that his music is "Colorful, infectious and touching--." His music has been described as "Contemporary
in the best sense of the word" by The Music Connoisseur magazine, and 21st Century Music Magazine proclaims his music
to be "Sassy, foreboding, refreshing and kicky--it's called style."
McCarthy's music, especially for percussion and
winds, has become standard repertoire in concert halls and universities in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. His
orchestral, wind, and percussion music has been performed and recorded by Eugene Corporon and The North Texas Wind Symphony, The
Brevard Festival Orchestra, The Taiwan National Symphony
Orchestra, The Taiwan Wind Ensemble, The World Youth Symphony
Orchestra (Interlochen, Michigan), The Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Chamber Symphony, The Nashville Symphony
Orchestra, The Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, The Naples Symphony Orchestra, The Akron Symphony Orchestra, Gregg Hanson
and The University of Arizona Wind Symphony, Robert Stroker and The Meadows Percussion Ensemble, Rhythm & Brass, The Harrington,
Avalon, and Arianna String Quartets, The Balance Duo, Quorum, The Interlochen Chamber Players, The United State Marine Corps.,
Bands and Tuba/Euphonium Quartet, and the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors.
McCarthy's music is recorded on Albany, Centaur, d'Note Classics, Gasparo, and Klavier Records. Among
the many soloist who commission and perform his music are Michael Burritt (The Eastman School of Music), Mark Ford (University
of North Texas), Keith Aleo (Director of Orchestral Percussion, The Zildjian Cymbal Co.), Catharine Hartig (Michigan State
University), Joseph Lulloff (The Cleveland Orchestra and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra), Timothy McAllister (Arizona State
University), Christopher and Leslie Norton (The Nashville Symphony Orchestra), and bassoonist Barrick Stees (The Cleveland
Orchestra).
McCarthy is a recipient of numerous awards for his music including the Harvey Phillips Excellence in
Composition Award, New Generations Orchestra Commissioning Award, The Sackler Award (finalist), International New Music Consortium
Prize (New York University), Belgrade ppIANISSIMO Composition Prize, The Ohio Arts Council Excellence in Composition Award
(5), The Indiana Arts Commission Artist Award (2), The Indiana State University Distinguished Creative Professor Award and
Arts Endowment Grant (5), The Ohio Adult Composers Award (3), OMEA Composer of the Year, and a special tribute for his life's
work as a composer by The State of Michigan Legislature. His recordings have been nominated for several Grammy Awards
including his 3rd, 4th, and 5th String Quartets on Albany Records recorded by The Harrington String Quartet.
Dr. McCarthy is Section Chair
of Composition and Theory at the University of Akron School of Music where he is founder and Director of the American New
Music Festival in Akron, Ohio. Daniel was previously Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Creative Professor in Composition
at Indiana State University where he directed the Contemporary Music Festival with the Louisville Orchestra.
He is founder of the Midwest
Composers' Forum in Indiana, and has served as President of the Cleveland Composers Guild while at The University of Akron.
During the summer, he has been Instructor of Composition at the Interlochen Arts Camp and has served as music Conductor of
the Interlochen Festival Orchestra, The Cleveland Chamber Symphony, The Terre Haute Symphony Youth Orchestra, The University
of Akron Symphony Orchestra, and The Akron New Music Ensemble. He is the former Chair of The Society of Composers, Inc.
Region V and has hosted Regional and National Conferences for Society of Composers, Inc.
Daniel McCarthy has served as a Visiting Scholar
at both The University of Michigan and Ohio University School's of Music. His music is published solely by C. Alan Publications
(BMI) in Greensboro, North Carolina.